Despite its reputation as a cancer that can be lived with, prostate cancer remains the second-most deadly cancer among men in the United States, killing nearly 35,000 men last year, according to the American Cancer Society.

Joey Carter was one of them.

It’s a fact the Carter family, learned firsthand after Joey Carter died from the disease at age 62. The Carter family – which includes Joey’s mother, Linda Carter, and his sister and brother, Christi Carter Urschel and Ron Carter – was a founding owner of the Dallas Mavericks. Their grandmother, Mary Crowley, owned and operated the highly profitable direct sales company Home Interiors and Gifts for decades.

To provide hope for future prostate cancer patients, the Carter family has supported efforts in the area of prostate cancer research including work under the direction of renowned prostate expert Claus Roehrborn, M.D., Chair of UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Department of Urology.

“Ron and I learned of Dr. Roehrborn’s work during a recent visit to UT Southwestern, and we were intrigued by his efforts to spare the prostate by using precision treatments,” said Mrs. Urschel. “We wanted to honor Joey’s life with a precision donation that would make a difference.”

The Joey Carter Fund in Prostate Cancer Research will support a new clinical trials coordinator and further research into therapies using high-intensity sound waves to destroy tumor cells. The technique, known as image-guided transurethral ultrasound ablation or TULSA, combines real-time imaging with extreme heat or electrical impulses that precisely target the tumor, allowing healthy prostate tissue to be spared. It offers benefits compared to removing the prostate through surgery, which can cause incontinence and erectile dysfunction. A recent study published in European Urology found that men treated with focal therapy, such as TULSA, had similarly successful cancer outcomes to those who underwent prostate removal.

“The Carter’s investment opens an avenue of opportunity for us to begin new trials in a segment of the population where focal therapy might be the best option,” Dr. Roehrborn said. “These therapies can improve the quality of life for men with intermediate-risk prostate cancers. We are very grateful to the Carters for recognizing how UT Southwestern can advance these important new therapies.”

• Dr. Roehrborn holds the E.E. Fogelson and Greer Garson Fogelson Distinguished Chair in Urology, and the S.T. Harris Family Chair in Medical Science, in Honor of John D. McConnell, M.D.