Stand up to Cancer raises $100M

In an unusual merging of the usually competitive three major television networks – ABC, CBS and NBC – the Friday night “Stand Up To Cancer” (SU2C) telethon raised more than $100 million for cancer research.  The figure included money raised from viewers since the campaign officially began, on May 28, 2008.

According to ABC’s website the telethon reached an estimated 170 countries and territories and was the most-watched show on broadcast television according to Nielsen Media Research.

A spectacular line up of talent including Jennifer Aniston, James Taylor, Scarlett Johansson, Meryl Streep, David Cook, Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, Jack Black, Kirsten Dunst, Charles Barkley, America Ferrera, Halle Berry, Hilary Swank, Forrest Whitaker, Jimmy Fallon, Keanu Reeves made personal appearances on the show.

SU2C funds will support research projects conducted by interdisciplinary, multi-institutional translational and clinical research “Dream Teams” and high-risk Innovative Research Grants from which ideas for new Dream Teams may arise. The funds will be administered through the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the largest scientific organization in the world focusing on every aspect of high-quality, innovative cancer research.

The Entertainment Industry Foundation is a charitable organization whose head, Lisa Paulsen, vowed that 100 percent of the money would go directly to fund research.

Cancer, the uncontrolled growth of diseased cells, spreads through the body invading healthy organs. The newly discovered map of genetic mutations behind some of the most aggressive cancers – glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer – are offering hope for new diagnostic tests and better treatments.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the country after heart disease, and The American Cancer Society predicts that 1,437,180 new cancer cases will be diagnosed this year alone.   More than 500,000 in the U.S. die from cancer which takes more than six million worldwide each year.