The Porter family includes (from left) Andrew, Camp, Lyn, Grady, Mary Francis, Sabrina and David. David and Sabrina Porter have made a series of gifts to the University of Mississippi Medical Center to help ensure that future generations of Mississippians have access to the same compassionate care that helped them through trying times after Andrew was born. Submitted photo
Sabrina and David Porter commit resources to children, families and the future of care
Sabrina and David Porter found hope in trying times at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and the Waynesboro couple has made a series of major gifts to help ensure that other families can benefit from the same level of skilled care and services.
The Porters’ gifts to the Medical Center include support for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Cancer Center and Research Institute and, most recently, the Center for the Advancement of Youth.
“I want people who feel hopeless to have hope,” David Porter said. “I want them to know that someone cares, even if they never know our names. There is nothing worse in life than hopelessness.
“A gift to support a hospital can change that. It can mean a child lives and a family stays whole. I’ve lived that.”
The Porters married in their late 20s and endured three miscarriages before becoming pregnant with their son, Andrew. The pregnancy was fraught with complications; Sabrina Porter was bedridden for six months and ultimately suffered a stroke.
The baby was born nine weeks premature at just 3 pounds, 7 ounces, dropping below 3 pounds in the days that followed. Andrew Porter‘s early years were marked by repeated medical challenges, including numerous surgeries related to his premature birth.
Through it all, the care team at Children’s of Mississippi stood beside the family while the Porters’ steadfast faith sustained them.
“The doctors and nurses embraced us completely,” David Porter said. “They didn’t just treat our son; they – and prayer – carried us through one of the hardest seasons of our lives.”
The Porters deeply believe in the power of prayer to make the impossible possible, a belief confirmed by their son’s survival and ultimate thriving. Andrew Porter excelled academically, earned a Doctor of Medical Sciences degree, pursued a career in medicine, worked in the very emergency room where he was born and became a hospital CEO at age 30.
A practicing physician assistant, he and his wife, Lyn, also live in Waynesboro with their three children: Camp, Mary Francis and Grady.
“If a child that premature can go on to that kind of success, then there is hope, real hope, for others,” David Porter said.
A plaque in the NICU at Children’s of Mississippi honors Andrew Porter, serving as a quiet reminder of what expert care, compassion and hope can make possible.
While the NICU gift was rooted in personal experience, the Porters’ broader philanthropy reflects an awareness of unmet needs across Mississippi’s healthcare landscape.
The Porters’ support of The Campaign for the Cancer Center and Research Institute grew from a recognition of need. While cancer had not directly affected their immediate household, its impact on extended family and close friends is undeniable.
“Everyone knows someone touched by cancer,” David Porter said. “One of my closest friends recently lost his wife. That brings it home in a very real way.”
He also recognized a larger opportunity: strengthening access to comprehensive cancer care in Mississippi and the surrounding region. The campaign is funding a new five-story, 250,000 square-foot- center that will combine advanced cancer care with convenience and comfort for patients, research labs and clinical trials.
The Cancer Center and Research Institute is also pursuing designation as an NCI-designated cancer center.
“We realized people here don’t always have the same access as places like MD Anderson (the world’s largest cancer center),” he said. “We want to help change that.”
Continuing their awareness of unmet needs, the Porters’ most recent gift supports pediatric behavioral and developmental care.
The Center for the Advancement of Youth offers comprehensive, coordinated care across disciplines for children with behavioral or developmental issues throughout Mississippi. During a tour of the facility, Porter was struck by both the demand for services and the dedication of its staff.
“They’re seeing an avalanche of patients every day,” he said. “There is a significant shortage of behavioral health providers, including developmental pediatricians, child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists and board-certified behavior analysts not just in Mississippi, but across the country.
“Despite this, CAY is doing incredible work to support the children and families they serve. That’s where we want to focus moving forward.”
The gift will make a difference in the lives of Mississippians, said Dustin Sarver, the center’s executive director and professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior.
“The Porters understand that great care extends beyond medicine; it’s about restoring hope to patients and families at their most vulnerable moments,” Sarver said. “Their partnership strengthens our mission in deeply meaningful ways.”
David Porter’s generosity is grounded in a lifetime of disciplined work. After four decades in commodity trading, he transitioned to a portfolio of business ventures, but his approach to giving remains intentional and hands-on.
“We want our contributions to be direct, measurable and impactful,” he said. “At UMMC, you can see the difference. That matters.”
To support the University of Mississippi Medical Center, visit http://www.umc.edu/givenow/ or contact Suzanne Crell, senior director of principal gifts, at screll@umc.edu or 601-815-8778.
By Bill Dabney
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