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MD Anderson, ExxonMobil announce $10 million ‘Be Well Beaumont’ prevention program in partnership with city
Summary
MD Anderson Cancer Center will roll out 'Be Well Beaumont' using a $10 million ExxonMobil grant to support a 10-year community wellness program focused on healthy eating, active living, sun safety, tobacco-free living and preventive care, with a local steering committee and a March 24 stakeholder meeting.
MD Anderson Cancer Center and ExxonMobil introduced a $10 million grant Tuesday to launch Be Well Beaumont, a place-based cancer-prevention and wellness initiative to operate in Beaumont over the next decade.
Demetrius Whitmore, speaking for ExxonMobil, said the company provided the grant to fund MD Anderson’s Be Well Communities model locally. "We recently announced a $10,000,000 grant provided to MD Anderson to roll out Be Well Beaumont," Whitmore said, asking for elected-official support for community participation.
Ruth Rekis of MD Anderson described the program’s goals: engage residents in healthy behaviors, foster multisector collaboration, and build the capacity of local organizations to deliver evidence-based interventions across five focus areas — healthy eating, active living, sun safety, tobacco-free living and preventive care including cancer screening. Rekis cited prior implementation in Baytown, Pasadena and other Texas communities, reporting measurable participation and fitness improvements in those locales.
MD Anderson and ExxonMobil plan a local steering committee to shape a community assessment and implementation plan; Rekis said the model typically stays in a community for a number of years then transitions to local ownership. The team invited organizations and individuals to participate and said they will host an initial meeting on March 24.
Council members asked for examples of park or infrastructure interventions and for coordination with the city's ongoing parks master plan. Rekis and an ExxonMobil representative pointed to examples such as sunshades over playgrounds, sunscreen dispensers at boat launches, pop-up parks for activities, senior fitness classes and school-based programs used in previous deployments.
The presentation did not specify how the $10 million will be split across activities or identify contractual obligations between MD Anderson and local organizations; MD Anderson said more details would be developed with the community and the steering committee.
MD Anderson and ExxonMobil requested the council’s support and offered to return with updates as the steering committee forms and the assessment proceeds.
