We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet for auld lang syne!

At this time of year, when friends and families come together to preserve old relationships and look back over the events of the year, we renew our commitment to help those afflicted with an inherited susceptibility to cancer, or with cancer itself, so that they may live better and longer lives. We want to do more.

In recent years, our research group has gathered medical history information and blood and tissue samples from thousands of prostate cancer patients and their family members. Our ultimate goal is to perform genetic studies that will help unravel the causes of prostate cancer and what determines its aggressiveness.

We are just completing the gathering phase of research information and DNA samples from nearly 6,000 prostate cancer cases from around the world. Although this project is partially funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute, the Urological Research Foundation is bearing much of the cost of this harvest.

We would like to expand this project to 20,000 cases over the next 5 years. The first-phase of the genetic testing will begin early in 2018, and much of the continuing costs also must be covered by philanthropic funds. In the past, benefactors such as you have generously supported our work through the Urological Research Foundation.

So, just before midnight 2017, please give “a cup o’ kindness.”

With every good wish,

William J. Catalona, M.D.