At the heart of Memphis beats a spirit of faith, compassion and resilience—and few embody that more deeply than Pastor Dianne Young. Born and raised in South Memphis, Pastor Young is a woman whose life journey has woven together ministry, mental health advocacy and personal loss into a powerful voice for healing and hope. She also brings that same voice to her work on the Board of Directors for West Cancer Foundation, helping expand access to free cancer services across the Mid-South.
A Ministry Built on Emotional Wellness
Young is the Senior Pastor at The Healing Center Full Gospel Baptist Church in Memphis. She co-founded the church in 1991 alongside her late husband, Bishop William M. Young, and continues to lead and serve the congregation today. Before stepping fully into ministry, Pastor Young spent 20 years in the U.S. Postal Service. But a tragic event within her church community—losing a member to suicide—led her and her late husband, a pastor and chaplain, down a new path: advocating for mental health in the Black church.
At a time when stigma made it nearly impossible to discuss mental illness, Pastor Young led the charge by reframing the conversation around “emotional wellness.” Through her Emotional Fitness Centers of Tennessee, she helped bring screenings and education to churches throughout Memphis. “People were more open when we stopped using the term ‘mental health’ and started talking about emotional fitness,” she said. That shift in language—and heart—made all the difference.
Her approach gained national recognition and is now being modeled in other cities like Chicago. “Pastors are gatekeepers in our community,” she explains. “If they get it, their congregation will too.”
A Personal Mission to Support Cancer Patients
Pastor Young’s advocacy expanded after losing her mother to colon cancer. When West Cancer Foundation President Leighanne Soden reached out years ago, Pastor Young saw an opportunity to honor her mother’s legacy and bring her voice to another vital health issue in the community.
“Back in the late ’80s, the kinds of support the Foundation offers just weren’t available,” she says. “Women were left to navigate cancer and poverty at the same time. What West Cancer Foundation does—providing transportation, wigs, post-surgical garments, screenings—it makes an enormous difference.”
As someone who understands the deep connection between body, mind and spirit, she was especially moved when the Foundation launched its free mental health counseling for patients and caregivers. “You have to care for the soul and the body,” she says. “Cancer impacts more than the body—it affects your will, your emotions, your ability to keep going.”
Family, Faith and Public Service
Of course, Pastor Young’s story doesn’t stop at the pulpit or the boardroom. She’s also the proud mother of Memphis Mayor Paul Young—an achievement rooted in faith and purpose. “We raised our children to keep their faith active,” she says. “Paul didn’t just run a political race. He ran a race of purpose.”
And it runs in the family. Her daughter works in county government, and her youngest son now serves as her co-pastor. “We threw them in the car and took them to church every week,” she laughs. “They were listening more than we knew.”
Why She Believes in West Cancer Foundation
Pastor Young’s support for West Cancer Foundation is simple and powerful: “Every donation—no matter how small—helps someone in need. If you want to see your dollars make a difference, this is the place to put them.”
And her message to the community? “Find out what West Cancer Foundation is doing. Volunteer. Give. Be part of something that’s saving lives—spirit, soul and body.”
