Mission

The Prostate Cancer Research and Education Foundation (PC-REF) was founded in 1997 by Dr. Israel Barken and a group of prostate cancer patients who saw the need for increased patient education and the opportunity to learn from their own studies and from each other in support groups. Through this process patients are able to become effective partners with their doctors in making critical treatment decisions. We strongly believe in patient empowerment. We also fund promising research projects of our own and at institutions around the country. We provide "seed money" for worthy projects that need help to get started. Once feasibility is demonstrated, the project has a better chance to obtain major institutional grants. We focus on projects that will benefit patients now, rather than in the distant future.