McCarty Foundation Boosts Cancer Center Project
New treatment and research center aims to improve outcomes for Mississippi patients, fuel research
OXFORD, Miss. – The H.F. McCarty Foundation's recent gift to the University of Mississippi Medical Center will help give the state's cancer patients closer access to treatment supported by leading-edge research, which could result in more time with their loved ones.
The Jackson-based foundation continued its legacy of giving to a myriad of charities by supporting the construction of a new world-class home for the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute.
"My grandparents designed the foundation to be focused on science, medicine, education and the arts," said Leslie Baskin, the foundation's secretary. "We felt that this gift would touch all those points."
Baskin is the youngest granddaughter of Mary Ann and H.F. "Mac" McCarty, who started the foundation in 1995.
The McCarty Foundation's gift adds to support other donors have given the Medical Center's largest capital campaign to date, which will fund construction of the five-story, 250,000-plus square-foot building. The new facility will provide a welcoming, artful, interdisciplinary space that enhances patient and family care, improves access and offers a seamless health care experience.
The new building will allow the Medical Center to deliver the highest level of care and foster groundbreaking research, including clinical trials.
Baskin said the family wanted to continue the founders' tradition of charitable giving as a longtime supporter of UMMC and many other charities, including Millsaps College, St. Andrews Episcopal School, the Methodist Rehab Research Center and the YMCA in Blue Ridge, North Carolina, where the founders met.
"We hope this gift will help keep our grandparents' legacy alive, so people know a part of them is still giving back," she said. "That's really what they worked their whole life to do."
McCarty Farms was a significant poultry producer that grew to become one of Mississippi's largest employers, with more than 4,000 employees and contracts with hundreds of independent chicken farmers. Tyson Foods bought McCarty Farms in 1995, and the foundation was established.
"Mississippi has a significant problem ahead of us regarding our cancer issues," said Dr. Rodney Rocconi, the cancer center's director and Ergon Chair for Cancer Research at UMMC. "We lead the country in cancer mortality rates. Nearly one in six Mississippians unfortunately will die of cancer."
No National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center exists within the Arkansas-Louisiana-Mississippi three-state region, he said. This capital campaign will support achieving NCI designation, which will enhance the center's research capabilities and expand treatment options for patients.
Through this expansion in research, UMMC is helping pave the way for a healthier future for all Mississippians, Rocconi said.
"Studies show that patient outcomes are improved when the care is provided by an NCI-designated cancer center," he said. "Mississippians deserve to have access to that type of care."
With everything under one roof, the new facility is designed to make visits easier for patients. Quick access from the parking garage and patient navigators will help patients get to appointments faster.
The main floor will include a cancer resource center, a chapel and possibly an art gallery. Open to the public, it will be a place of solace, guidance and hope for patients and their families navigating a cancer diagnosis.
The cancer center campaign will enhance the Medical Center's mission to provide compassionate, comprehensive care to patients across Mississippi, including those from underserved communities. The building will feature spaces for patient and family support groups, community events and continuing education classes for caregivers.
"Our patients deserve the best and to have a building that serves them in a better capacity will allow us to provide better access to patient care throughout the state, enabling us to see more patients and allowing them to flow through the system more smoothly," said Dr. Carter Milner, professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology.
"Hopefully, all of this will impact their patient care in a positive way."
For more information about the CCRI capital campaign, click here.
To support UMMC, click here or contact Lauren Engle, director of special projects, at 601-984-1123 or lengle@umc.edu.
Top: The new home for the University of Mississippi Medical Center's Cancer Center and Research Institute will include more than 250,000 square feet of space, allowing the Medical Center to expand patient care and research efforts in Jackson. Photo courtesy UMMC