Regions matches donations to UMMC COVID-19 relief up to $50K

Published on Monday, April 20, 2020

By: Annie Oeth, aoeth@umc.edu

Those who give toward the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic now have a partner.

Regions Bank announced April 16 that they would match donations dollar for dollar – up to $50,000 – for pandemic relief efforts at the Medical Center, which has taken a leading role in fighting the spread of the novel coronavirus in Mississippi.

The COVID-19 Recovery Support Fund will help provide for immediate needs related to pandemic response across the Medical Center. From provider equipment to technology assisting our patients and families, this fund is helping us meet needs as they arise.  

“Every day, around the clock, the physicians and staff of UMMC are meeting urgent needs and providing guidance, care, comfort and support for people and families from across our state,” said Robert Leard, Metro Jackson market executive for Regions Bank. “We are proud to support their work through this donation, and we encourage others to consider how they can contribute to these efforts as well. Indeed, we are facing an unprecedented challenge in the form of COVID-19. But we are also seeing unprecedented collaboration as people and organizations come together to support each other during a very difficult time.” 

Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, said that, in times of crisis, having partners in the community is vital.

“We are grateful to community partners like Regions for their generosity in stepping up to assist UMMC, our providers, and our patients during this time of uncertainty, suffering and loss,” she said. “As we face this challenge together, this financial commitment from Regions will help us meet real human needs in real time.”

Dr. Alan Jones, professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and clinical leader of the Medical Center’s COVID-19 response efforts, said donations toward the COVID-19 Recovery Support Fund can help provide equipment and supplies needed to treat patients with the novel coronavirus and to stop the pandemic’s spread.

“Having this help from Regions and from the community during this crisis is vital,” Jones said. “Working together, we can provide care and help our state move past this pandemic.”

As the state’s only academic medical center, UMMC is helping lead the state’s response to the pandemic. The UMMC Center for Telehealth, one of only two Telehealth Centers of Excellence in the nation, is providing triage services by phone and on smart devices for COVID-19 testing through the C Spire Health app.

UMMC experts have also provided responses to the pandemic including the design of an emergency ventilator and creation of a respiratory clinic on the Jackson campus. In partnership with the Mississippi Department of Health, UMMC has provided in-house COVID-19 testing and has opened testing sites around the state. 

Last week, clinical trials related to COVID-19 at UMMC were announced during a news conference.

UMMC is sharing consistently updated COVID-19 information, innovations and response tactics at www.umc.edu/coronavirus. Donations can be made to the COVID-19 Recovery Support Fund online.