Healthcare: Improving Outcomes for All
Robert F. Smith believes that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental human right. He partners with and supports organizations that are advancing medical research, expanding access to care and promoting healthier communities. Through these efforts, Smith helps drive meaningful, lasting impact.
“Everyone can bring their capabilities to solve problems beyond their immediate environment. It’s a function of identification on one hand, and will on the other.”
-Robert F. Smith
SMITH’S PARTNERS
Prostate Cancer Foundation
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) funds leading research to advance the prevention, detection and treatment of prostate cancer. Through these efforts, the foundation aims to find a cure for the disease. Smith supports its research and funded the development of a non-invasive, genetics-based tool, the Smith Polygenic Risk Test for Prostate Cancer. The test is designed to enable earlier detection of prostate cancer, helping improve outcomes for those at higher risk.
Robert F. Smith-PCF Special Challenge Award
Through this award for the Smith Polygenic Risk Test, the PCF invested in research to understand and address the reasons why Black men disproportionately experience aggressive prostate cancer. Thanks to this funding, researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC identified nine new genetic variants that increase the risk of prostate cancer, allowing physicians to help monitor at-risk patients before the disease appears.
Robert Frederick Smith Precision Oncology Center of Excellence at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago
In 2018, Smith made a $2.5 million donation to support prostate cancer research aimed at helping those from underrepresented communities and establish the Robert Frederick Smith Precision Oncology Center of Excellence at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, IL. The funding helps veterans in the Chicago metropolitan area and beyond as they navigate prostate cancer from diagnosis to treatment. The Smith Center is a part of the PCF’s network of centers focused on the care of U.S. veterans.
The Mount Sinai Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Unit
Launched in 2022, the Mount Sinai Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Unit delivers critical cancer screenings and health services across New York City. Services include blood tests for prostate-specific antigens (PSAs), bladder scans, EXACTVU micro-ultrasounds and more. The unit helps raise awareness about the importance of early detection.
