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Posted: January 8 2026

Your Support Is Changing the Future of Prostate Cancer

Your Support Is Changing the Future of Prostate Cancer
Photo Credit: ICR/John Angerson

Backing Research That Can Save Lives

The Bob Willis Fund was set up to stop other families going through what ours did.

Prostate cancer took Bob far too soon. Like too many men, his cancer was not caught early enough and he was failed by the limitations of existing tests. With your support, we are funding research that could fundamentally change the future of prostate cancer diagnosis.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, The Bob Willis Fund is proud to help fund pioneering prostate cancer research at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR).

One of the key researchers we support is Professor Ros Eeles and the development of a simple saliva (spit) test that can identify men at higher genetic risk of prostate cancer. This research moves away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach and instead aims to ensure that the men most at risk are identified earlier, when treatment is most effective, while reducing unnecessary tests and procedures for others.

This is the kind of progress that could transform outcomes for thousands of men in the years ahead and it’s happening because supporters like you have made it possible.

To read more about the research we support at The Institute of Cancer Research, including the development of a saliva-based test for prostate cancer, you can read the ICR’s full article here.

From Your Support to Real-World Impact

Your support helps fund:

  • World-leading scientists working to improve prostate cancer detection
  • Research focused on finding aggressive cancers earlier, before symptoms appear and when treatment is most effective
  • Smarter testing approaches that aim to reduce missed diagnoses and over-treatment
  • Long-term projects that move discoveries from the lab towards real clinical use

This research is already making a difference, identifying cancers that would previously have gone undetected and giving men the opportunity for earlier treatment and better outcomes.

Why This Matters So Much to Us

For Bob’s family, this research is personal. Although existing tests work for some men, they did not work for Bob. Supporting research that could spare others the same fate is the most meaningful way we can honour his legacy.

Progress like this does not happen overnight. It requires sustained funding, commitment and belief and that’s where our supporters play such a vital role.

Thank You 

None of this would be possible without the extraordinary support of our community. Every donation, every fundraiser and every shared story helps drive this work forward.

Thank you for being part of this journey and for helping us create a better future for men and families affected by prostate cancer.

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