Walker Foundation gift inspired by love for Mississippi
The dedication to Mississippi that has inspired Gloria Walker’s lifetime of volunteerism has resulted in a significant donation from the Walker Foundation to the Cancer Center and Research Institute at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
The gift will go toward CCRI’s It’s About Time Campaign, a philanthropic drive to raise $125 million to help fund construction of a new and “first of its kind state-of-the-art” Jackson Cancer Center that will benefit the entire state. More than $60 million has been raised to build the 250,000-square-foot facility, which will bring under one roof world-class, patient-centered care, groundbreaking research and clinical trials.
The experiences of being a cancer patient and losing loved ones to cancer also motivated the donation.
“I lost my mother to cancer when I was 15. My husband, two brothers, grandmother and maternal aunt also died of cancer, and … I am a breast cancer survivor. This rampant disease affects so many families in Mississippi, which is why we desperately need this cancer center.”
Dr. Rod Rocconi, Ergon Chair for Cancer Research and CCRI director, said he’s deeply grateful to Mrs. Walker and the Walker Foundation for their significant donation and belief in the mission to improve cancer outcomes in Mississippi.
“This gift is not only an investment in the future of cancer care and research at UMMC — it’s a testament to the power of compassion and community,” he said. “Mrs. Walker’s love for Mississippi and her strength in the face of cancer truly inspire us. Her generosity will help us bring better care, greater hope and life-saving research to families right here at home.”
Part of CCRI’s mission is earning National Cancer Institute designation, which will enhance treatment options for Mississippians and expand cancer research at UMMC. 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.
Gloria and her husband, the late William E. Walker Jr., worked together in business ventures ranging from Bill’s Dollar Stores to timber management in Columbia, MS and in community work including the creation of the Walker Foundation, with its main focus on Midtown revitalization for the past 35 years.
“My career has been volunteering,” she said. Among her missions are more than 30 years as a Mississippi Museum of Art volunteer and benefactor, chairing the museum’s board of directors twice and dedicating a garden there to her husband’s memory. She has also served on the boards of directors for the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, Goodwill Industries, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, and the Mississippi Children’s Home Society and was an active member of the Junior League of Jackson. She co-chaired inaugural activities for former Gov. Haley Barbour.
Gloria Walker also volunteered with American Cancer Society, has served multiple terms on the vestry of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Jackson and has led a weekly Bible study in her home for more than 30 years.
“I love Mississippi and am so proud of our state! I think Mississippi is the best place to live, and I want the people of this state to have the cancer care they need close to home,” she said. “This will be such a wonderful addition to the medical field and to Mississippi.”