Delta cancer rates move McRights to make significant gift to CCRI campaign at UMMC

To say that everyone knows someone affected by cancer is an understatement in the Mississippi Delta.  

“Nearly everyone on my mother’s side died of cancer—and it was a big family,” said Johnny McRight of Greenville, a committee member for the It’s About Time Campaign for the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute. “Her siblings, her parents — everyone but my mother.” 

Concern for the families impacted by cancer in the state prompted the McRight family to make a significant gift to the campaign, a philanthropic drive to build a new five-story, state-of-the-art cancer center at UMMC. 

Dr. Rod Rocconi, CCRI director, Ergon Chair for Cancer Research and Mississippi Delta native, said the McRights’ gift is a selfless investment in the health and future of Mississippi. 

“The McRight family’s generosity and care for their fellow Mississippians will have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of patients and families throughout our state,” he said. “We are honored by their support and inspired by their commitment. It is powerful to see support coming from every corner of our state. Together, we are building a future where every Mississippian has access to the best possible care, hope, and healing right here at home.” 

In Mississippi, cancer is the second leading cause of death, accounting for one in five deaths, according to Mississippi State Department of Health statistics.  

The state leads the nation in cancer mortality, but cancer deaths vary by region. The mortality rate of all types of cancers in the Delta is 17% higher than in central Mississippi.  

McRight’s wife Renee, shares a similar story as her husband: her father, aunts and uncles also died of cancer. The McRights note their families are not unique — many others face the same devastating pattern. 

The incidence of cancer in Delta counties each year ranges from 480.9 per 100,000 in Washington County to 626.5 per 100,000 in Quitman County. 

“It just goes on and on,” Johnny McRight said. “I’ve seen a lot, and I’m really passionate about that. It rings true to me. If we can do something to help, we ought to do that.” 

The contribution from the McRights and their daughter, Meriwalker McRight Nipper, will help the CCRI grow its research infrastructure, recruit top-tier physician-scientists and enhance programs focused on cancer prevention and early detection. 

“The appeal to me is the research,” Renee McRight said. “Research is essential to finding out the causes of cancer and how it can be prevented.” 

The It’s About Time Campaign for the Cancer Center and Research Institute has raised more than $60 million towards its $125 million goal to fund construction of the new facility for world-class, patient-centered care, groundbreaking research and clinical trials. 

A key part of the CCRI mission is achieving National Cancer Institute designation, which will enhance research capabilities and expand treatment options. Nationwide, 73 NCI-designated centers are in operation. UMMC is the only health care institution in the state with an active research mission, which is required for NCI designation. 

Having a cancer center in Mississippi with NCI designation would bring world-class care closer to home, she said. 

“When cancer patients travel out of state for care, their family members can’t go to visit them and be supportive because of the expense,” she said.  

Johnny McRight, who earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry at the University of Mississippi, founded McRight Soil Testing in 1976 and still owns and operates the company as McRight Services, LLC. He founded DeltAg Formulations, which manufactures a complete line of crop biostimulants and micronutrients. 

Active in his community and state, he has served on the Washington County Economic Alliance and the Delta Work Force Investment Board since 2010 and is a member of the Mississippi Community College Board. He was named to the University of Mississippi College of Liberal Arts Hall of Fame in 2024 and is a board member of the University of Mississippi Foundation. 

“I’ve spent years working, tending to business, and we have been blessed over and over again,” he said, “and we feel compelled to do what we can to pay back.”