The PCF community mourns the loss of former board member David H. Koch. Koch served on the Prostate Cancer Foundation Board of Directors from 1995 to 2019.
Koch was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1992. Thanks to the same shrewd determination that he was famous for in business, Koch beat prostate cancer and went on to marry and start a family. He is survived by his wife Julia, and their three children, David Jr., Mary Julia, and John Mark.
Koch was one of the world’s most generous philanthropists and a great friend to the Foundation, contributing a stunning $50 million to PCF’s cutting-edge prostate cancer research and saving countless lives. Our hearts go out to his family as we remember and regard the immensity of the contribution that he has made to cancer research and beyond.
Prostate Cancer Foundation CEO, Dr. Jonathan Simons, remarks, “David Koch’s personal warmth and scientific curiosity made every cancer researcher feel like a hero. His MIT chemical engineering education made him one of the nation’s most generous and impactful philanthropists through Prostate Cancer Foundation Team Science Awards. David literally opened up cancer research to a new generation of biomedical engineers who want to cure cancer urgently.”
Koch’s flawless combination of friendship, philanthropy, and scholarly perspective on cancer research have been invaluable to this foundation. “David was a partner of ours in philanthropy and research for more than 25 years,” says Prostate Cancer Foundation Chairman and Founder, Mike Milken. “His contributions to medical research will live on forever; they have and will continue to benefit millions of Americans and others around the world. I had the good fortune to spend time with him and his family as recently as two days ago. We will miss his sense of humor, his wisdom and his insightfulness.”
In Memory of David H. Koch 1940-2019