Stand Up To Cancer will host its seventh televised fundraising special on Aug. 21, with an A-list group of stars already signed on. Reese Witherspoon and husband Jim Toth will serve as co-executive producers for the show, with Sofia Vergara, Anthony Anderson, Ken Jeong and wife Tran Ho on board as cohosts. Common and Brittany Howard are the first of many to be announced as performers for the special, which raises money for cancer research and new treatments.
“Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. and the leading cause in Canada,” Witherspoon said in a statement. “Unfortunately, too many of us have a personal experience with this disease. I’m proud to highlight the amazing doctors and scientists of Stand Up To Cancer who work tirelessly on important cancer research, innovative treatments and much needed patient care.”
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“Having lost my father to this disease, it is a privilege for us to continue to support the important work of Stand Up To Cancer as co-producers of the telecast,” added Toth, with production company Done + Dusted also producing. The biennial special will broadcast from Los Angeles and air simultaneously on more than 60 participating media platforms across the U.S. and Canada, including all four major broadcast networks in the U.S., which are donating one hour of simultaneous commercial-free prime time. The telecast will also be available to stream live and on-demand on several streaming platforms.
“The most important part of my cancer diagnosis was catching it early. With all the complications and delays the pandemic has caused, it is more important than ever to support Stand Up To Cancer, so others have the resources they need for early detection,” said Vergara. The Covid-19 pandemic has indeed affected virtually every aspect of cancer care and research, causing delays in screenings, diagnosis, and treatment, and critically impacting the fundraising needed for innovative, high-quality cancer treatments and new approaches to cancer screening.
“Joining forces for cancer research saves lives. We know this because it saved Tran’s life 12 years ago,” said Jeong and Tran Ho. “Stand Up To Cancer has been fighting against cancer for over a decade, working to ensure that all cancer patients become cancer survivors, like Tran.”
“I will tell anyone who will listen how important it is to get educated and take charge of our own health. We have lost too many people to this disease. I am so proud to be joining my friends at Stand Up To Cancer to help spread awareness of the preventative measures people can take and the resources that are available,” added Anderson.
Stand Up To Cancer’s biennial specials have been supported by hundreds of celebrities over the past 13 years. More participants, as well as additional musical performers, for the 2021 special will be announced in the weeks ahead.
SU2C was established in 2008 by a group of women who wanted to harness the entertainment community to raise awareness and funding to accelerate collaborative cancer research and end cancer as a leading cause of death, with founders including Katie Couric, Sherry Lansing, Kathleen Lobb, Lisa Paulsen, Rusty Robertson, Sue Schwartz, Pamela Oas Williams, and Ellen Ziffren. The late Laura Ziskin and Noreen Fraser were also co-founders.
“We believe fiercely in bringing innovative, high-quality cancer treatments to patients as quickly as possible,” said Couric. “The show provides a powerful platform to make this dream a reality. It would not be possible without the generous support of the entertainment industry, our donors, and the broadcast networks that have come together alongside our celebrity co-producers and co-hosts to help create a world where everyone diagnosed with cancer can be a long-term survivor.”
Since its inception, SU2C has raised over $603 million to bring together nearly 2000 of the best scientists from over 210 leading institutions to collaborate towards ending cancer’s reign as a leading cause of death worldwide. SU2C’s research has contributed to nine FDA approvals for new cancer therapies, and 258 clinical trials treating more than 19,000 patients.
