The Fannie Lou Hamer Cancer Foundation (FLHCF) is closing out 2019’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a major announcement — the historic groundbreaking for its state-of-the-art headquarters facility.
The Ruleville-based non-profit will host a Groundbreaking Ceremony, commemorating the beginning of Phase I for the construction of its 10,000-square-foot headquarters, Thursday, Oct. 31.
The ceremony is set for 10 a.m. at the intersection of Floyce Street and MS Highway 8 in Ruleville. The theme of the event is, “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight.” The public is invited to attend.
“The groundbreaking ceremony for the Fannie Lou Hamer Cancer Foundation’s headquarters is a testament to all that we are sincere and dedicated to our mission of eradicating cancer in the Mississippi Delta and beyond,” said FLHCF Founder and President Freddie White-Johnson, who also serves as Program Director for the Mississippi Network for Cancer Control and Prevention at The University of Southern Mississippi. “It’s been a long journey, but we’re proud of the support we’ve received from the community and across the nation thus far.”
According to White-Johnson, the center was strategically selected to be situated in the heart of the Mississippi Delta — one of the poorest regions in the state, as well as one of the most medically underserved areas in the nation.
Since 2012, the organization has provided more than 5,000 underserved women with free mammograms and Pap tests and 1,200 men with prostate cancer screening. Of those women tested, 79 have received a positive breast cancer diagnosis.
“The construction to the headquarters will allow us to reach and assist more clients as well as provide space to effectively support and expand our programs,” White-Johnson said. “The Fannie Lou Hamer Cancer Foundation has had a profound impact in the state of the Mississippi, and we’re one of the few organizations in the Mississippi Delta providing extensive literature and preventative cancer screenings to unserved and underserved populations.”
The total project is estimated to cost about $2.5 million, and the construction process will be completed in phases, with Phase I including the laying of pipes and concrete for the building and the parking lot.
The organization is now actively fundraising and seeking funding to help support Phase II, the construction of the facility.
“The Center will serve as a long-lasting memorial to Mrs. Hamer, who died from untreated breast cancer,” said White-Johnson. “Our commitment and efforts are fueled by a desire to reduce the possibility of cancer similarly claiming the lives of other victims,” she added.
To learn more or to support the work of the FLHCF, visit www.flhcf.com.