Some Children’s of Mississippi patients being treated for a craniofacial syndrome, cleft lip and palate or another craniofacial abnormality stand to benefit from a recent gift to the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
The Ware Foundation, represented by Elizabeth Eason of Madison, Mississippi, made a $150,000 gift in support of the treatments and research being carried out at the UMMC Stephanie and Mitchell Morris Center for Cleft and Craniofacial Research and Innovation.
Eason, the Ware Foundation’s president and executive director, said several factors inspired the gift: a family passion for health care, especially benefiting children from low-resource households; the involvement and encouragement of patients’ parents in the treatment process; and a desire to inspire other donors to support the center.
“Our foundation provides mostly seed money; we like to help get things started. So, when (major gifts officer) Lee Pharr presented this opportunity to us, it sounded like our gift would help build more awareness for the Morris Center’s surgical work and research. It’s a good fit for us,” said Eason, who has worked in dental care and whose father was a physician.
The Morris Center provides a multidisciplinary team that includes specialists in plastic surgery, neurosurgery, genetics, speech therapy, dentistry, oral surgery, psychiatry, social work and audiology. It is the only site in Mississippi that provides the complex care craniofacial patients need and the only group of providers in the state accredited by the American Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Association.
In addition to providing next-level treatments, the Morris Center supports research in the care of children with cleft and craniofacial abnormalities — expanding the body of knowledge in this area.
Eason said her family’s gift is also in support of Dr. Laura S. Humphries, whose work they found impressive.
Dr. Humphries is an attending surgeon in the UMMC Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She has expertise in craniomaxillofacial surgery, specializing in surgery of the skull, face, palate and jaw in infants, children, adolescents and adults. Her clinical and research interests include comprehensive cleft lip and palate care, treatment of congenital and acquired differences of the face and skull, and craniofacial trauma.
The physician expressed gratitude for the Ware Foundation’s gift.
“As we treat patients, engage in focused research and teach medical students, residents and fellows, we do so with an unwavering commitment to make a meaningful difference for children, now and in the years ahead,” she continued. “The Ware Foundation adds significant support to this mission, and we are grateful for Elizabeth and her family’s desire to help our patients.”
Morris Center director and associate professor of plastic surgery, craniofacial surgery, and pediatric plastic surgery at Children’s of Mississippi, Dr. Ian Hoppe shared similar sentiments.
“We always keep in sight the reason behind what we do. Together, we bring our considerable expertise, abilities and resources to help our patients have the best possible lives,” he said. “Support for our physicians, researchers and providers as well as our patients and their families from donors like the Ware Foundation is critical to helping us achieve this goal.”
In the U.S., about 7,000 babies are born with cleft lips and/or cleft palates each year. Craniosynostosis, one of the most common craniofacial conditions, affects one in every 2,500 births.
Individuals with cleft palate and craniofacial issues face a range of challenges, including difficulties with eating, speech, hearing, breathing and dental development.
Additionally, visible physical differences associated with the condition can negatively impact children’s self-esteem and lead to feelings of self-consciousness, particularly during social interactions. Individuals with clefts may experience social challenges, such as teasing, staring or difficulty feeling accepted — all of which can lead to anxiety.
Early intervention, including feeding support, speech therapy and surgical repair, is crucial for minimizing the long-term impact of these conditions.
The Morris Center is one of several entities supported by the Ware Foundation, including St. Dominic Health’s emergency room expansion, Children’s of Mississippi’s NICU expansion, Canopy Children’s Solutions, Mission Mississippi, South Miami Hospital and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
The Ware Foundation was established by Eason’s great-grandfather, grandfather and great uncle with funds earned by the water company her great-grandfather founded. Now, the foundation is managed by Eason along with her brother, John Edwards, and sister, Morgan Christine Ware.
“Children have been our focus as was directed when my mom served on the board,” Eason said. “Hopefully, our gift encourages other people to give so the support will grow, expand and help more children get the help they need.”
To support the Stephanie and Mitchell Morris Center for Cleft and Craniofacial Research and Innovation at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, visit http://www.umc.edu/givenow/ or contact Victoria Stein, gifts officer, at vstein1@umc.edu or 601-984-1135
By Bill Dabney/UM Foundation