From hunter to advocate: Jim Kennedy gives $5M to strengthen cancer care at UMMC
What began for Jim Kennedy as a hunter’s dream in the Mississippi Delta has grown into a deep commitment to the people who call it home — a commitment now reflected in a $5 million personal gift to transform cancer care and research in the state.
Kennedy, chairman emeritus of Cox Enterprises, a family‑owned company with businesses ranging from broadband to automotive services, and chairman of the James M. Cox Foundation, is supporting It's About Time: The Campaign for the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute, a $125 million philanthropic drive to help fund construction of a center for advanced cancer care and research at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
"I was first drawn to Mississippi because I had always wanted to have a place in the Mississippi alluvial valley to go duck hunting and take my family and friends," Kennedy said.
As he spent more time in the Delta, Kennedy felt a calling to give back to the people of Mississippi.
"As a cancer survivor myself – I was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer 12 years ago – I understand what it's like to be told you have cancer. I understand how that's so frightening for people," he said. "For people in Mississippi to have to travel so far for cancer treatment is something that needs to be changed."
For Kennedy, supporting the Cancer Center and Research Institute is not simply philanthropy. It is a moral imperative.
Mississippi has one of the highest rates of cancer mortality in the nation, and in the Delta, the burden is even heavier. For far too many families, advanced cancer treatment is simply out of reach because traveling out of state for specialized care is often not an option. Kennedy sees this reality clearly and knows something has to change.
"I understand the need for cancer treatment facilities and cancer research facilities," he said, "and not having something like that in Mississippi is inexcusable today. That's what excites me so much – what this center can become."
The planned construction of a new home for CCRI comes as UMMC is seeking National Cancer Institute designation, a distinction held by only 74 cancer centers in the nation and is associated with significantly higher survival rates.
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.
Kennedy, a nationally recognized business leader and philanthropist whose visionary giving has impacted education, healthcare and sustainability initiatives across the country, said he is following his mother's example.
"I saw how she lived and gave quietly to help people in need, from individuals to organizations," he said. "That lesson shaped my upbringing: help others when you can, and the more you are able to give, the more you should help."
Kennedy’s support of CCRI builds on his broader philanthropic investments in Mississippi, including the establishment of an endowed chair in veterinary oncology at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine this past year, the James C. Kennedy Endowed Chair in Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation at Mississippi State University in 2008, and the James C. Kennedy Wellness Center in Charleston in 2013.
Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs, said Kennedy's generosity is inspirational.
"The heart Jim Kennedy has for helping others shows in his dedication to improvements in health care here in Mississippi and around the country," she said. “This extraordinary gift moves us closer to a future where Mississippians can receive exceptional cancer care close to home. Because of Mr. Kennedy’s leadership and generosity, more families will have access to the care they need, the breakthroughs they deserve and the hope they need to keep going.”
Kennedy's gift will fuel life-changing innovation in cancer care and research, said Dr. Rod Rocconi, Ergon Chair for Cancer Research and CCRI director. "Jim Kennedy’s investment is not only helping us build a world-class cancer center, it is creating a lasting legacy of hope for families across our state. His vote of confidence in UMMC and what Mississippi can become sends a powerful message that our patients deserve the very best care and research close to home. We are thankful that Jim Kennedy believes in a healthier Mississippi and is helping us move this vision forward.”