$25 million lead gift from philanthropists John and Sandy Black to university medical center’s aims to help build the state’s first National Cancer Institute–designated cancer center

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s drive to build the state’s first National Cancer Institute–designated cancer center has cleared a major milestone, with nearly $90 million already raised toward a new $250 million facility in Jackson as of early February 2026.

Central to the effort is a record-setting $25 million lead gift from Madison philanthropists John and Sandy Black, the largest single contribution in UMMC’s history, anchoring a $125 million capital campaign for the Cancer Center and Research Institute and helping accelerate the state’s push toward NCI designation.

UMMC leaders are now asking the Mississippi Legislature to appropriate $100 million toward construction, a public investment they say would leverage private philanthropy and finally give one of the nation’s highest cancer-mortality states a comprehensive, research-driven cancer hub comparable to those in larger markets.

The proposed five-story, state-of-the-art center would consolidate cancer care, research, clinical trials, prevention programs, and patient-and-family support services under one roof, replacing a fragmented system that often forces Mississippians to travel out of state for advanced treatment.

Planning for NCI designation began in earnest in 2024, and UMMC officials emphasize that the new facility is not just a building project but a platform to meet the rigorous research and clinical requirements of the federal cancer institute. Since 2024, CCRI has increased its National Cancer Institute–eligible research funding by 600% compared with fiscal year 2023, expanded experimental therapeutics and cancer control programs, and built telemedicine-driven clinical trial and tumor board networks across the state, all designed to tackle deep cancer inequities and bring cutting-edge therapies closer to home.

The Blacks’ gift signaled to other donors that Mississippi’s only academic medical center is serious about transforming cancer care, and the couple agreed to serve as honorary leaders for the $125 million philanthropic campaign.

Campaign materials frame the moment as “It’s About Time,” underscoring that Mississippi’s cancer death rate, among the worst in the country, reflects decades of underinvestment in research infrastructure, prevention, and coordinated care.

The capital campaign has since drawn broad private support, helping push total commitments for the project close to $90 million in advance of the Legislature’s decision on the $100 million request.

If lawmakers approve the appropriation this session, UMMC officials say they can move quickly from fundraising into full-scale design and construction, with the Blacks’ lead gift and other private commitments serving as the philanthropic backbone for what they describe as a once-in-a-generation investment.

For patients, the stakes are concrete: more clinical trials available in-state, better access to multidisciplinary care teams, and an NCI-caliber research program capable of both attracting top clinicians and generating new therapies tailored to Mississippi’s burden of lung, colorectal, breast, and other cancers.

As of February 2026, UMMC’s cancer center remains in the “race” for NCI designation, but with nearly $90 million secured, a $100 million legislative ask on the table, and a historic $25 million lead gift already banked, the state’s long-elusive comprehensive cancer hub is closer than it has ever been.