Approximately 192,280 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009. Last year also saw 27,360 prostate cancer-related deaths, according to report from the National Cancer Institute. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports this form of cancer, which usually occurs in older men, has consistently ranked as a top killer of men of all races in the U.S. over the years.
To help fight this fatal disease, the Kansas University Cancer Center will establish a clinical high-risk prostate cancer prevention program at the Richard and Annette Block Cancer Care Pavilion. The program is made possible because of a $1 million donation from Burns & McDonnell, one of the largest engineering and design firms in the state.
The funds will be used to expand personnel and create an endowed fund for the program, reports the Kansas City Kansan. The donation might also help the hospital toward its goal of receiving the National Cancer Institute’s designation.
The center’s prostate cancer program is already ranked as one of the country’s 13 "Clinical Centers of Excellence" by the Urology Times. Now, it hopes to strengthen its clinical and research efforts in prostate cancer prevention.
Doctors affiliated with the center hope to one day serve all cancer patients, but for now they think it is worthwhile to invest their limited funds on prostate cancer therapies and prevention.
Dr. Jeffrey Holzbeierlein told the Kansan, "This disease is the second leading cancer killer of men in the United States. Obviously, it is only useful to screen for early detection if one either has effective treatments for the disease or has prevention strategies to decrease a person’s risk for developing the disease."
For their part, officials at Burns & McDonnell hope their gift will inspire others in the business community to make similar donations. CEO Greg Graves told the Lawrence Journal-World & 6News that in economically trying times it is increasingly important for business leaders to engage in social efforts.