The Stand Up 2 Cancer (SU2C) fundraising special broadcast on Sept. 9 has already generated $111 million in pledges in the United States and Canada. The early tabulations push the total raised by the biennial telethon to $481 million since 2008.
The telecast was broadcasted live from The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Calif. and aired simultaneously on more than 60 networks including ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, Comedy Central, HBO, SHOWTIME, TBS and VH1. The program also steamed live online on multiple sites and is currently available in full on Hulu.com. Donations are continuing to be accepted at www.su2c.org and 1-888-90-STAND.
“Having more than 60 broadcast and cable networks and streaming platforms donate the time to air the show was record-breaking for SU2C,” said Lisa Paulsen, CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), of which SU2C is a division, and a member of the SU2C Council of Founders and Advisors (CFA). “That support enables us to make the public aware that lives are being saved by Stand Up To Cancer research, and we are profoundly grateful for it.”
The program was executive produced by Academy Award-nominated actor Bradley Cooper and featured both celebrities as well as cancer survivors who benefitted from SU2C-supported research. Celebrity supporters included actor Tom Hanks, comedian Kevin Hart and NBA star Klay Thompson. Musical guests Keith Urban and Céline Dion were among the evening’s performers.
Immunotherapy, precision therapies tailored to the genetic and molecular makeup of patients, ovarian cancer prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer have been among the research focuses funded by SU2C.
During the telecast, co-founder Katie Couric announced plans to develop a SU2C Dream Team focused on colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths, to be joined with 19 other teams focused on cancers prevalent in the United States and Canada. Teams focused on cancers of the lungs and pancreas have also been announced.
“We believe that each and every one of us can make a difference in the fight against cancer, from individuals to foundations, philanthropists, and corporations,” said SU2C CFA member and Robertson Schwartz Agency co-founder Rusty Robertson. “In addition to all the individuals who dug deep into their pockets to donate during the telecast, we are profoundly thankful to the major donors who committed to supporting SU2C’s research.”
SU2C supporters were active on social media in the lead-up and during the telecast. In advance of the telecast, supporters were invited to share photos and videos of their personal reasons to stand up to cancer on social media using the hashtag #Reasons2StandUp. The hashtags #SU2C and #StandUpToCancer both trended on Twitter in the United States and Canada during the broadcast. The broadcast featured pre-recorded videos of celebrities explaining why they are supportive of the cause.