Cancerwise

When Robert “Bob” Barnes talks about supporting UT MD Anderson, it’s both professional and personal.

As chairman and CEO of IBC Bank–Austin, Bob has spent decades championing community causes and leading by example. As a prostate cancer survivor, he’s also experienced cancer care at UT MD Anderson firsthand.

Stepping up to support UT MD Anderson

Community service has long been a guiding principle for Bob.

He proudly supports IBC Bank’s fundraising efforts for UT MD Anderson. Together with the IBC Foundation’s “Give Cancer the Boot” campaign matches, the bank has raised nearly $12 million over the past 25 years. Dennis Nixon, IBC Bank Chairman and a senior member of the UT MD Anderson Board of Visitors, has been instrumental in these efforts.

In May, Bob spearheaded a golf tournament at Austin’s Barton Creek Country Club, raising more than $280,000 to benefit new treatment options for cancer patients.

Choosing UT MD Anderson for prostate cancer treatment

Bob’s relationship with UT MD Anderson began in early 2012, when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer after facing elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels.

Having lived in Houston prior to Austin, Bob turned to UT MD Anderson first.

“It was early-stage and my urologist wasn’t too worried, but I wanted to go to the premier cancer treatment center, and that’s UT MD Anderson,” he says.

Bob explored treatment options. He was ultimately a better candidate for surgery than proton therapy or hormone therapy.

“At the time, there were different paths I could take,” he says. “UT MD Anderson gave me every option possible, which I was grateful for.”

He had surgery in June 2012. Bob returned home the same day and remained in close contact with his care team throughout his recovery.

His PSA levels remained undetectable after treatment, and today he continues routine follow-up care with his local urologist.

Feeling confident in his care

From his first visit, Bob felt reassured he was in the right place.

“I was welcomed from the moment I arrived,” he says. “Everything was first-class.”

He also remembers seeing patients and families who’d traveled from all over the world throughout the hospital.

“You’d sit in the lobby and hear 10 different languages,” he says. “It reminded you that people come from everywhere because they want the best care possible.”

That confidence has only grown over the years as Bob has watched friends, colleagues and employees benefit from UT MD Anderson’s expertise.

“Everywhere you turn for cancer treatment, so many of those roads lead back to UT MD Anderson,” he explains.

Sharing his story to help others

Today, at nearly 80 years old, Bob remains active, continuing to lead IBC Bank–Austin, prioritizing his health through regular exercise, follow-up care and plenty of time with his wife, Laura, three children and four grandchildren, all of whom live in the Austin area.

His experience with cancer reinforced lessons he learned long ago in both corporate banking leadership and as a U.S. Army veteran who served as a platoon leader in Vietnam: leadership, perseverance and community service are non-negotiables.

“You have to tell the story, so people understand,” he says. “If you have a cancer story and don’t share it, people don’t realize there was someone else there before them.”

That willingness to share his story is one reason he continues to support UT MD Anderson’s mission.

“Cancer can strike anybody,” Bob says. “It doesn’t discriminate.”

And for Bob, helping more people access the same care that helped him remains one of the most meaningful ways he can give back.

Donate at MDAnderson.org/IBCBank any time before Sept. 30, 2026, and IBC will match your donation to UT MD Anderson dollar-for-dollar.