It’s been quite a year for all of us. A year ago, I never imagined I would be writing to you after months of a global pandemic. 

I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of The Brady’s faculty and staff. When our labs were shut down, our scientists did their best to continue their momentum from home, through countless Zoom meetings and sharing data by email. Our surgeons, nurses and staff adapted like champions to new protocols. Many of our faculty and staff selflessly dedicated themselves to Covid-19 relief, creating test kits and PPE packs, and pursuing research to help lessen the toll of the virus. 

Although our hospital and clinic environments were very different, many things did not change: Unfortunately, prostate cancer didn’t stop for Covid-19. Bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and testicular cancer didn’t stop, either. Thus, our mission didn’t change. We remained, and remain, dedicated to providing the very best care for our patients and defeating urologic disease.

Although this year’s Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fund Awards have been delayed by Covid-19 (which is why you won’t see them in this issue, for the first time ever!), other very exciting research has come to fruition – and we’re proud to present it here in Discovery.

As I write this, it looks like the sun is peeking out of the clouds, many children are back to school, businesses are opening back up, and our clinics and labs are buzzing with creative energy. However, 2020 has taught us that this can change very rapidly.

Best wishes,

Alan W. Partin, M.D., Ph.D.