JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The New Orleans nonprofit Hogs for the Cause will fund an updated hospital space for children with cancer thanks to a $1.5 million gift to Children’s of Mississippi in Jackson. 

The donation, raised through the Hogs for the Cause barbecue and music festival, will fund renovation of the fifth floor of the Batson Tower, which was opened in 1997. The construction will include Mississippi’s only pediatric bone marrow transplant unit.

The 22,500-square-foot unit will be renamed the Hogs for the Cause Wing following construction, which is set to begin in late spring 2024.

“We are thrilled to provide this donation to Children’s of Mississippi,” said Becker Hall, Hogs for the Cause co-founder and CEO. “This notable gift, combined with our recent gifts to other hospitals nationwide, illustrates how ultra-focused Hogs for the Cause is on improving care for pediatric cancer patients and families all over the country.” 

The donation comes as the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s of Mississippi is undergoing renovations. Officials said the project will triple the size of the center’s infusion room and redesign it for more privacy for patients and will bring the number of exam rooms from the current eight to 14. Work is expected to be completed in mid-2024.