When you think of Kathy Bates, you recall immediately her portrayal of “Annie Wilkes” in the movie Misery. In Misery, Kathy Bates, as Annie, holds her favorite author (played by James Caan) hostage. The role of Annie Wilkes earned Kathy Bates an Oscar for “Best Actress.” Her role as the legendary “Unsinkable Molly Brown” in the movie Titanic is also unforgettable. More recently, she re-teamed with her Titanic co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in the movie Revolutionary Road, which is based upon Richard Yates‘ critically acclaimed novel by the same name. Throughout her lengendary career, Kathy Bates has been a talented actress, television director, singer, producer, and composer. Kathy can now add ovarian cancer spokesperson and advocate to her ongoing list of talented roles.
Bates appeared on the TODAY show on January 9th, 2009, to discuss her role in the film Revolutionary Road and her experience with ovarian cancer. The Kathy Bates interview video is provided below through a hyperlink.
In September 2008, and for the first time publicly, Kathy Bates shared the story of her personal fight with ovarian cancer with the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA) . With respect to her OCNA interview, Bates said: “As an ovarian cancer survivor, I have decided to join forces with the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance by sharing my story and helping educate women about one of the deadliest cancers affecting women today.” The interview was very personal and in-depth, and Bates shared insights about how she was diagnosed with the disease. The video of the Kathy Bates interview with OCNA is provided below.
Kathy Bates Interview with OCNA
As an ovarian cancer advocate, Ms. Bates also filmed a 30-second TV Public Service Announcement (PSA) about ovarian cancer and its symptoms. Bates’ ovarian cancer PSA was launched in New York City taxi cabs during September 2008, National Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, and continues to run on TV networks nationwide. In response to Kathy Bates’ willingness to speak out about ovarian cancer, Karen Orloff Kaplan, Chief Executive Officer of OCNA, said: “OCNA recognizes the personal strength it took Kathy to talk publicly about her run-in with cancer. We appreciate her willingness to share her story and be an advocate for the organization in its mission to educate women across the country about ovarian cancer.” The ovarian cancer PSA video featuring Kathy Bates is provided below.
Yesterday, Libby’s H*O*P*E* added a new cancer video archive to the weblog courtesy of Vodpod.com. Currently, the archive contains approximately 90 videos that address many general cancer and ovarian cancer issues, as well as the personal voices of those affected by cancer. The new video archive is located on the homepage right sidebar. All you have to do is “click and play.”
Yesterday, Libby’s H*O*P*E* added a new cancer video archive to the weblog courtesy of Vodpod.com. Currently, the archive contains approximately 90 videos that address many general cancer and ovarian cancer issues, as well as the personal voices of those affected by cancer. The new video archive is located on the homepage right sidebar. All you have to do is “click and play.” The video arrangement is set to “random order” so that new videos appear on the homepage sidebar each time you visit Libby’s H*O*P*E*.
If you are aware of a general cancer/ovarian cancer video that is educational, heartfelt, inspirational, humorous, poignant, or is simply dedicated to the one you love, please provide us with the URL address of the video. The URL video address can be sent to us by email (click on the “contact” button located at the top of the homepage), or by comment (post a comment under this post). Upon receipt of the video URL address, we will add the referenced video to the new archive. We appreciate your participation in adding to our video archive and hope you find the archive helpful.
This year, approximately 565,650 Americans are expected to die of cancer — that’s more than 1,500 people a day. … Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. … In an unprecedented television event, NBC, ABC, and CBS will simultaneously devote 1 hour of commercial-free prime time to raise funds for the fight against cancer under an initiative called “Standup2cancer.”
What Do You Stand For?
This year, approximately 565,650 Americans are expected to die of cancer — that’s more than 1,500 people a day.
Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the US, exceeded only by heart disease. In the US, cancer accounts for 1 of every 4 deaths.
The budgets for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have been flat for 5 years. Adjusted for inflation, the NIH budget has fallen 13 percent since 2003, and the NCI budget has fallen 12 percent since 2004.
The NIH estimate overall costs of cancer in 2007 at $219.2 billion:
$89.0 billion for direct medical costs;
$18.2 billion for lost productivity due to illness; and
$112.0 billion for lost productivity due to premature death.
Ovarian Cancer can afflict adolescent, young adult, and mature women, although the risk of disease increases with age and peaks in the late 70s. Pregnancy and the long-term use of oral contraceptives reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Women who have had breast cancer, or who have a family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer may have increased risk. Inherited mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes increase risk. Another genetic syndrome, hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer, has also been associated with endometrial and ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer incidence rates are highest in Western industrialized countries.
Ovarian cancer accounts for about 3% of all cancers among women and ranks #2 among gynecologic cancers.
An estimated 21,650 new ovarian cancer cases are expected in the U.S. in 2008.
An estimated 15,520 ovarian cancer deaths are expected in 2008.
Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.
Ovarian cancer is not a “silent” disease; it is a “subtle” disease. Recent studies indicate that some women may experience persistent, nonspecific symptoms, such as (i) bloating, (ii) pelvic or abdominal pain, (iii) difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, or (iv) urinary urgency or frequency. Women who experience such symptoms daily for more than a few weeks should seek prompt medical evaluation. (To learn more about the warning signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, CLICK HERE).
There is no reliable screening test for the detection of early stage ovarian cancer. Pelvic examination only occasionally detects ovarian cancer, generally when the disease is advanced. However, the combination of a thorough pelvic exam, transvaginal ultrasound, and a blood test for the tumor marker CA125 may be offered to women who are at high risk of ovarian cancer and to women who have persistent, unexplained symptoms like those listed above.
If diagnosed at the localized stage, the 5-year ovarian cancer survival rate is 92%; however, only about 19% of all cases are detected at this stage, usually fortuitously during another medical procedure.
For women with regional and distant metastatic disease, the 5-year ovarian cancer survival rates are 71% and 30%, respectively. The 10-year relative survival rate for all stages combined is 38%.
During 1987-2004, ovarian cancer incidence declined at a rate of 0.9% per year.
Tonight, over 50 of the most renowned personalities in TV, film, sports and music will come together to make history. In an unprecedented television event, NBC, ABC, and CBS will simultaneously devote 1 hour of commercial-free prime time to raise funds for the fight against cancer under an initiative called “Standup2cancer.” In May, Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ covered the opening of the Standup2cancer initiative. [May 30, 2008].
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 will make personal appearances on the show. These celebrities and more will educate you, move you and entertain you. They will also be on hand to answer your calls in the celebrity phone bank.
To donate, CLICK HERE. The YouTube video below provides an explanation of how the public donations will be used.
SU2C: Where the Money Goes?
The premiere TV performance of “Just Stand Up” – the star studded charitable single in support of Stand Up To Cancer will be performed tonight by legendary recording artists Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes, and Carrie Underwood.
On Sunday, September 21, 2008, the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NBOCC) will conduct its annual 5K Run/3K Walk for Her. This walk is dedicated to those who have lost the battle to breast or ovarian cancer, and celebrates those who continue to fight. The event will start at 8:00 A.M. EDT and is being held at Quiet Waters Park, located in Annapolis, Maryland.
2008 NBOCC Run/Walk for Her
On Sunday, September 21, 2008, the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NBOCC) will conduct its annual 5K Run/3K Walk for Her. This walk is dedicated to those who have lost the battle to breast or ovarian cancer, and celebrates those who continue to fight. Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ would like to thank Paula Kozik (an inspirational ovarian cancer survivor and volunteer organizer of the Run/Walk for Her event) for dedicating her walk in this event to Elizabeth (Libby) Remick.
The event will start at 8:00 A.M. EDT and is being held at Quiet Waters Park, located in Annapolis, Maryland.
The National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NBOCC) is a growing non-profit organization dedicated to education, awareness and research developments for breast and ovarian cancer. Specifically, the mission of NBOCC is to raise awareness and educate the general public about the link between breast and ovarian cancer.
The founder and executive director of NBOCC is Nikki Karl. Nikki is a lifelong supporter of the fight against breast and ovarian cancer. She established the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) Maryland Chapter in November 2003. However, having lost ten family members to breast and ovarian cancer, she realizes the importance of pairing these two diseases together so that women may understand the potentially life-saving facts regarding hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. NBOCC is dedicated to Nikki’s grandmother, who died of ovarian cancer, and her mother, who is a breast cancer survivor.
“On Sunday, September 7th, 14 Canadian cities will join in the only national fundraising event dedicated to overcoming ovarian cancer – the Winners Walk of Hope. … The annual walk has raised more than $3-million for ovarian cancer support and awareness programs across the country, including resources for newly diagnosed women; awareness campaigns targeted at well women; education sessions for medical students and health professionals, and research in ovarian cancer.”
“On Sunday, September 7th, 14 Canadian cities will join in the only national fundraising event dedicated to overcoming ovarian cancer – the Winners Walk of Hope.
Every three and a half hours, a woman in Canada is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The Winners Walk of Hope raises crucial funds for Ovarian Cancer Canada – the country’s only national organization dedicated solely to advancing ovarian cancer awareness, education and research.
Parliament has officially recognized September as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Today, the five year survival rate for ovarian cancer is about 30% – making it the most deadly gynecologic cancer. There is no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer and symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for less serious conditions.
Ovarian Cancer Canada endorses the United States consensus on ovarian cancer symptoms. These symptoms are common to many women with the disease: swelling or bloating of the abdomen, abdominal pain, difficulty eating, feeling full quickly and frequent or urgent urination. Although the average woman’s likelihood of getting ovarian cancer is low – about one in 70 – any woman experiencing these symptoms persistently for longer than three weeks is urged to visit a doctor. Early diagnosis and referral to a gynecologic oncologist – a specialist in treating ovarian cancer – can increase the likelihood of surviving the disease. [emphasis added by Libby’s H*O*P*E*™]
Third time national title sponsor, Winners, and host sponsors, HomeSense and KPMG, are joined this year by new national presenting sponsor, Electrolux. ‘Winners is honoured to be the National Title sponsor of the Winners Walk of Hope for its third consecutive year,’ says Shannon Johnson, Winners Spokesperson. ‘The thousands of associates and customers who have walked this journey exemplify the values we live at Winners everyday: being a responsive and involved community partner. We are honoured by the support of participants in regions across the country and are hopeful that this year’s Walk will raise significant awareness and record funds needed in support of overcoming ovarian cancer.’
Ovarian Cancer Canada’s mission is to provide support and education to women with ovarian cancer and their families, raise public awareness and fund research that will ultimately lead to a cure for the disease. To date, the organization has committed more than $2.7 million to research in Canada. For more information about educational programs or to get involved, call 1-877-413-7970 or visit www.ovariancanada.org for a list of regional offices.
Ovarian Cancer Canada volunteer, Peggy Truscott, planted the seeds for the Winners Walk of Hope by organizing the first walk in 2002. Her legacy continues to grow:
The annual walk has raised more than $3-million for ovarian cancer support and awareness programs across the country, including resources for newly diagnosed women; awareness campaigns targeted at well women; education sessions for medical students and health professionals, and research in ovarian cancer.
The event is non-competitive and held in park settings. Walks are organized by volunteer committees in each community. Registration is $25 and is waived for registrants who raise $100 or more in pledges. For more information, to register or to pledge a walker, visit www.winnerswalkofhope.ca / www.randonneewinners.ca or call toll-free 1-877-413-7970, ext. 232.
Kelly Ripa and Molly Sims are fighting for a cure by doing something they love — shop! It’s all a part of Super Saturday Live on QVC. QVC will offer designer clothing, jewelry, beauty products, and accessories at 30% to 50% off of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. All of the net proceeds benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF).
The QVC Super Saturday Live event will take place on Saturday, July 26, 2008 from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. E.D.T. In its 11th year, the QVC Super Saturday Live event program will be hosted in the Hamptons, which is a summer playground in New York for the rich and famous. Dubbed the “Rolls Royce of Garage Sales” by The New York Times, Super Saturday 11 promises an exciting line up of over 200 top designers. It is being broadcast live for the second year on QVC.
The Super Saturday Live product line will be available through QVC by calling (800) 345-1515 or visiting www.QVC.com while supplies last. To read ovarian cancer survivor stories on the QVC Super Saturday blog, click here.
As an organization committed to finding better ways to detect, treat, and ultimately cure ovarian cancer, the OCRF believes that future advances in ovarian cancer research lie in the hands of researchers. To promote research advancement, the OCRF sponsors young researchers with promising projects. Since 1998, the OCRF has awarded over $23 million grants to 128 of the brightest women and men in the field today at over 40 leading medical centers across the country. A brief video that describes the OCRF is provided below.
“The Fight Back Express is rolling across the nation, carrying the mobile message that Americans have the power to fight cancer in this country with their voices. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is sponsoring the 6-month bus tour to highlight the crucial role elected officials play in supporting laws and policies that help people fight cancer. The ACS CAN Fight Back Express kicked off in Ohio in early May and will travel across the 48 continental United States through Election Day, Nov. 4 [2008].”
“TheFight Back Express is rolling across the nation, carrying the mobile message that Americans have the power to fight cancer in this country with their voices. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is sponsoring the 6-month bus tour to highlight the crucial role elected officials play in supporting laws and policies that help people fight cancer. The ACS CAN Fight Back Express kicked off in Ohio in early May and will travel across the 48 continental United States through Election Day, Nov. 4 [2008].
‘If one person can fight cancer, then a nation can rise up and defeat it,’ said Daniel E. Smith, president of ACS CAN, the sister advocacy organization of the American Cancer Society. ‘As an essential partner in the fight against cancer, government has a critical role to play in enacting laws and policies that help people battle a disease that will kill an estimated 565,650 people in America this year.’ Scientific discovery alone will not defeat cancer. The federal government is by far the largest source of cancer research funding, but years of budget freezes and cuts are impeding progress.
Through the bus tour, ACS CAN is working to make cancer a higher national priority by educating the public, lawmakers, candidates and the media about the importance of government’s role in defeating cancer. Cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and their families gather at each stop to share their experience with the disease and to voice the need to make dramatic changes in this country’s approach to cancer. ‘We can make this disease history,’ said Bob Willman, an ACS CAN State Lead Ambassador Volunteer from Springfield, Ohio. ‘We know what we need to do to win the war on cancer. Now we need our elected officials to join us and support laws and policies that will help defeat this disease.’
The ACS CAN Fight Back Express is a mobile action center. At each bus stop visitors have the chance to share their story with their Members of Congress through the Picture A Cure program and sign a petition to support access to quality health care for all Americans. The ACS CAN Fight Back Express bus tour comes on the heels of a major public education campaign by ACS CAN and the American Cancer Society, raising awareness about the critical need for access to quality healthcare for all Americans. There has been tremendous progress in the fight against cancer, as evidenced by the reduction in death rates from cancer every year since 1991. But continued success is at risk if Americans don’t have access to cancer prevention, early detection and treatment. More than 47 million people in America are uninsured and countless millions more are underinsured, making them more likely to be diagnosed at later stages when cancers are more deadly. Too often, lifesaving cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment programs are not available to patients who need care the most.
ACS CAN supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions for a number of cancer-related issues including:
Prevention and Early Detection: Regular screenings can catch cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages, but a federal program that offers low-income and uninsured women screenings for breast and cervical cancer only covers 1 in 5 eligible women. A similar program for colon cancer is now pending before Congress and needs to be created immediately as both of these programs have the potential to save lives.
Increased Funding for Cancer Research: Medical research could lead to the discovery of prevention and early detection tools for the most deadly cancers such as pancreatic and ovarian cancer, but federal research funding has been frozen or cut in recent years, threatening progress.
Tobacco Control: Tobacco is responsible for approximately one-third of all cancer deaths, but the federal government still lacks the ability to regulate tobacco products. At the state and local level, strong smoke-free policies could significantly reduce the number of tobacco-related cancer cases by protecting workers and patrons from the hazards of secondhand smoke.
The Fight Back Express is made possible by the contributions of millions of American Cancer Society and ACS CAN donors across the country whose lives have been touched by cancer. Additionally, the bus tour is made possible by a generous contribution from Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). “Incredible progress has been made in recent years in the battle against cancer,” said PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin. ‘America’s pharmaceutical research companies work hard every day to develop new medicines that will enable cancer patients to live longer, healthier, more productive lives. However, scientific research isbut one piece of the puzzle; improved prevention, early detection and access to quality healthcare are equally critical. Together, we can win this fight.’
To find out more about the ACS CAN Fight Back Express and how to make cancer a national priority log on to www.acscan.org. ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy partner of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.acscan.org.”
Comment: For additional information regarding the Fight Back Express including: (i) the purchase of miles to keep the bus on the road; (ii) the upcoming Fight Back Express stop locations; and (iii) stories from the roadtrip, please click here. A YouTube video regarding the ACS CAN Fight Back Express bus tour is provided below.
“Stand Up To Cancer (www.standup2cancer.org), a new initiative to raise philanthropic dollars for accelerating ground-breaking research, launches today through an unprecedented collaboration uniting the major television networks, entertainment industry executives, celebrities and prominent leaders in cancer research and patient advocacy. ABC, CBS and NBC will donate one hour of simultaneous commercial-free primetime for a nationally televised fundraising event to air on September 5, 2008 (8:00 pm EDT and PDT), aimed at rallying the public around the goal of ending cancer’s reign as a leading cause of death. … Stand Up To Cancer’s innovative approach to research is designed to eliminate barriers that have traditionally inhibited creativity and collaboration by enabling the best and brightest investigators from leading institutions across the country and internationally to work together. These collaborative “Dream Teams” will pursue the most promising research, accelerating the discovery of new therapies for cancer patients and advancing efforts in cancer prevention research.Stand Up To Cancer monies will also be used for some high-risk, high-impact cancer research proposals, which are often not supported by conventional funding sources.”
“Stand Up To Cancer (www.standup2cancer.org), a new initiative to raise philanthropic dollars for accelerating ground-breaking research, launches today through an unprecedented collaboration uniting the major television networks, entertainment industry executives, celebrities and prominent leaders in cancer research and patient advocacy. ABC, CBS and NBC will donate one hour of simultaneous commercial-free primetime for a nationally televised fundraising event to air on September 5, 2008 (8:00 pm EDT and PDT), aimed at rallying the public around the goal of ending cancer’s reign as a leading cause of death.
‘For people struggling with this disease, or those who will be diagnosed, scientific breakthroughs can be a matter of life or death — literally. We want everyone to know that they can make a difference in this fight,’ said Couric. ‘Television is a notoriously competitive business. For the three major broadcast networks to join forces is a wonderful example of the power of working together, and we’re very grateful to have the opportunity to reach people all over the country through this show.’
‘As a motion picture and television producer, I’ve learned how incredibly powerful these mediums can be in generating public discourse, sometimes almost overnight. Our goal with this initiative and TV show is to ‘tip’ the conversation in this country about cancer – to get people riled up, so they want to do something about the fact that it still takes so many lives,’ said Laura Ziskin, who will produce the September 5th broadcast. Ziskin is a cancer survivor. Her film credits include the Spider-Man trilogy, As Good As It Gets, and Pretty Woman, and she also produced the 74th and 79th Annual Academy Awards.
The Stand Up To Cancer special will feature live performances by legendary recording artists and stars from film and television who will perform as well as present filmed content giving viewers insight into cancer. Various screening tests will be demonstrated in novel and entertaining ways. ‘Katie, Charlie and Brian will report on potentially life-saving research, speaking with both patients and scientists. We hope to entertain you, educate you, move and inspire you,’ Ziskin said.
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and was established by a group of media, entertainment and philanthropic leaders, whose lives have all been affected by cancer in significant ways. Stand Up To Cancer is bringing industry resources — people, as well as mediums such as television and the web — to bear in the fight against cancer as never before.
‘The statistics are staggering,’ Gibson said. ‘Cancer claims one person every minute of every day in the United States. Every year in this country, it takes the lives of more than half a million people…worldwide, cancer kills more than six million people annually. There has been progress on both the research and awareness fronts; as a result, there are over ten million cancer survivors in the US today. More work urgently needs to be done so that more people will survive,’ he said.
‘Not only has cancer touched all of our media organizations in profound ways, but it has touched each of us personally. This extraordinary broadcast will serve a number of purposes – we’ll share vital information with our viewers and hopefully raise funds that are so critical in the fight against this insidious disease,’ said Williams.
New developments in the laboratory are revealing the way cancer begins, progresses and spreads. Stand Up To Cancer is founded on the belief that now, more than ever, there is sufficient knowledge of the basic science of cancer, and that the technologies are finally available to translate this knowledge into real advances in treatment and prevention. Today’s cancer scientists are on the verge of life-saving discoveries. But what they desperately need are the funds required to mount an all-out assault. Stand Up To Cancer is dedicated to providing this much needed new source of cancer research funding.
Co-Chair of the Disney Media Networks and President of the Disney-ABC Television Group Anne Sweeney, CBS Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves, and NBC Universal President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Zucker commented on their companies’ decisions to collaborate.
‘Everyone in our country has been touched by cancer in some way, shape or form. The thought that we could, in one hour of television, make a true difference in the fight against this disease was both exciting and inspiring,’ Sweeney said.
‘Television is a uniquely powerful medium and the networks joining forces offer an unparalleled opportunity to communicate loud and clear that we all have a stake in the fight against cancer,’ said Moonves. ‘Through the unity of broadcasters, entertainers and cancer groups alike, and the giving spirit of the audience at home, this television event has the potential to make a profound impact on our society’s ability to understand and battle this terrible disease.’
‘We’ve gone to the moon and pioneered a technology that revolutionized the way the world communicates. Applying that same innovation and commitment, scientists are on the cusp of making enormous strides in their efforts to combat cancer, but they need additional funding to do that. Through Stand Up To Cancer, and the September 5th broadcast, people all over the country can help,’ said Zucker, who is a cancer survivor.
AN INNOVATIVE RESEARCH MODEL
Stand Up To Cancer’s innovative approach to research is designed to eliminate barriers that have traditionally inhibited creativity and collaboration by enabling the best and brightest investigators from leading institutions across the country and internationally to work together. These collaborative “Dream Teams” will pursue the most promising research, accelerating the discovery of new therapies for cancer patients and advancing efforts in cancer prevention research. Stand Up To Cancer monies will also be used for some high-risk, high-impact cancer research proposals, which are often not supported by conventional funding sources.
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) will conduct expert scientific review of the research projects and administer funds raised through the initiative under the direction of a Scientific Advisory Committee. Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT chairs the Committee, which includes highly accomplished clinical investigators, senior laboratory researchers and physician-scientists. ‘This project has tremendous potential to change the face of cancer research,’ said Sharp. ‘Our goal is to rapidly move new research discoveries out of the lab and into the clinic to save lives from cancer.’
‘I am pleased that AACR is a partner in the Stand Up To Cancer initiative,’ said Raymond N. DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., AACR President and Provost and Executive Vice President at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. ‘Stand Up To Cancer model is distinctive because it emphasizes collaboration among scientists and will accelerate translational research on the verge of breakthroughs as well as provide an additional revenue stream to encourage novel, high-risk proposals that have great potential in making inroads against cancer.’
A Stand Up To Cancer Advocate Advisory Council is being formed, and will include leaders from approximately 25 organizations. Additionally, representatives from the advocacy community will work side-by-side with the scientists on the “Dream Teams,” so the perspectives of the patients and survivors they represent will be integrated into the direction of the research.
INITIATIVE DETAILS
In addition to the nationally televised network fundraising event, other key elements of the initiative include:
• Standup2cancer — With both interactive applications and rich content, the SU2C web site will foster an online community for everyone affected by cancer, utilizing the same approach as the televised special: it will move, educate and even entertain users. Features include: The Constellation: For a dollar donation or more, users can launch a star in honor of anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis. The Stand: An interactive facebook application to illustrate that the ‘cancer community’ encompasses everyone and that we are all connected by this disease. SUTV: Features video segments rich in scientific and research information, as well as ones that confront the personal and human side of cancer’s impact. SU2C Magazine: Offers seven sections of diverse content written by leading voices in every field.
• Public Service Announcement (PSA) Campaign – A series of TV, radio and print PSAs featuring celebrities and members of the general public to mobilize support for the campaign will begin to air and appear in publications soon.
‘I have lost beloved family members and friends to this dreaded disease,’ said Sherry Lansing. ‘Sometimes I feel as if cancer is an epidemic that will never end. But then I am reminded of diseases such as tuberculosis, small pox and polio that used to cause fear… and then I know that just like those other diseases, cancer can and will be defeated, too.’
Major League Baseball was the first donor to contribute to Stand Up To Cancer. ‘This initiative has presented an historic and unique plan to fight this deadly disease, and it is a privilege for me and Major League Baseball to join this magnificent effort,’ said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. ‘We have pledged many of our valuable resources in an attempt to assist in every way we can.’
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the oldest and largest scientific organization in the world focusing on every aspect of high-quality, innovative cancer research. Its reputation for scientific breadth and excellence attracts the premier researchers in the field. By accelerating the growth and spread of new knowledge about cancer, the AACR is on the front lines in the quest for the prevention and cure of cancer.
About the Entertainment Industry Foundation
The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), as a leading charitable organization of the entertainment industry, has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support programs addressing critical health, education and social issues.
About the Noreen Fraser Foundation
The Noreen Fraser Foundation utilizes film, television and web technologies to raise money as well as to educate and raise awareness about women’s cancers. The funds raised will be used to provide large grants to uniquely qualified cancer researchers.
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Media Contacts:
Ketchum Global Media Network Nicholas Scibetta — 646.935.4067 or 917.873.5299 mobile nicholas.scibetta@ketchum.com
Comment: In 1971, President Nixon “declared war on cancer.” Unfortunately, the technology and science of the 1970’s was simply not advanced enough to accomplish such a goal. The complexities of cancer are many including the following: (i) the area of “cancer” encompasses approximately 200 separate diseases, and (ii) the biological processes that allow cancer to thrive are nearly identical to those that allow a single cell, fertilized embryo to grow into a one trillion cell adult human. If you fast forward to this past decade, it is clear that current day technology and science is capable of achieving the short-term goal of holding cancer in check while pursuing the long-term goal of a cure. Discovery and identification of the human genome (Adobe Reader PDF document) in tandem with the mapping of biological “cellular pathways,” have produced highly successful advanced targeted cancer therapies such as Gleevec® and Herceptin®. The Human Genome Project identified approximately 20,500 genes in the human DNA sequence, and to date, that project fueled – in large part – the discovery of approximately 1,800 “disease genes” (Adobe Reader PDF Document). Our current ability to identify numerous genetic anomalies in cancer cells quickly, simultaneously and cost effectively allows for the targeting of such anomalies through pharmacological drug and/or gene therapy. Super computers allow scientist to generate the extensive bioinformatics necessary to produce complex models and analyze study data involving millions of permutations associated with 20,500 human genes, which hold approximately 3 billion pieces of DNA information. Although in its infancy, the use of “silencing RNA” (siRNA) to turn various genes on or off is making great strides toward controlling cancer in vitro and in vivo.
Human epigentics – another missing piece to the cancer puzzle – is the subject of the Human Epigenome Project, which is being conducted by the Human Epigenome Consortium. The Human Genome Project provided the blueprint for life, but the Human Epigenome Project will tell us how the human genome gets executed, as well as what determines when and where genes are switched on and off. The best example of epigenetics at work is the case of identical twins, where one twin is autistic while the other twin is normal. In this case, the genome DNA sequence of both twins is identical, but something else causes a change. That “something else” is represented by chemical modifications of genes that act as green or red traffic lights, which are superimposed on top of the DNA sequence or genome and tell the genes whether to be active or inactive. The study of these modifications-what they are, how they are laid down, and the processes that they control-is the field of research known as “epigenetics.” An “epigenome” is the description of these chemical modifications across the whole genome, but unlike the genome DNA sequence, each organism has multiple epigenomes-for example, in different cell types-that may change during its lifetime in response to environmental conditions or cues. And, knowing more about the human epigenome may provide clues as to what goes wrong in cancer and other diseases. Human Epigenome Project-Up and Running, Bradbury J.; PLoS Biol 1(3): e82 (2003).
The Stand Up to Cancer paradigm is truly groundbreaking.It is designed to “end run” bureaucratic obstacles to cancer control and cure discoveries. Through world-class private sector philanthropy, the medical, biological, genetic, and translational research necessary to tackle this ambitious goal will be carried out in a fully coordinated effort by the brightest scientific minds in the nation and around the world. Under the Stand Up To Cancer approach there will be accountability for results and oversight to guard against conflicts of interest. If you carefully review the names of those directly or indirectly associated with the Stand Up to Cancer organization, you will discover that they represent those individuals, scientists, and companies that had the greatest impact – through fundraising or science – on cancer therapy developments and discoveries over the past decade. I provide below the Stand Up To Cancer Public Service Announcement video, along with an additional video featuring the Stand Up To Cancer news coverage by CBS. To view additional Stand Up To Cancer videos featuring Katie Couric, Larry David, Sidney Poitier, Robert Bazell, Ben Teller & other celebrities who support the movement, click here.
What Can You Do?: Stand Up To Cancer invites donations in many forms. For a contribution of $1.00 or more, you can “create a star” as part of the Constellation program in the name of a cancer survivor or in memory of a family member or friend who lost the battle to cancer. On a larger scale, you can form a “private” team and request donations from family, friends, and co-workers. Alternatively, if you do not want to form a private team, consider making a donation to the “Choose H*O*P*E*” open team that was formed recently by the H*O*P*E*™ weblog or make a standalone donation. In the future, you will even be able to donate through your cell phone. Through any form of donation, you are making a difference in the fight against cancer!
“Nationwide, there are 10.5 million survivors, thanks to better and earlier detection and new treatments that enable many people to survive their cancer or manage their disease for long periods of time. One out of every six people over 65 is a cancer survivor, and 1.4 million were diagnosed more than 20 years ago. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute, nearly 64 percent of adults and about 75 percent of children will survive a diagnosis of cancer.”
“When a patient goes through cancer treatment, the support of family, caregivers and friends is vital. So when Houston celebrates cancer survivorship on Sunday, June 1 at a free citywide event, it is an occasion to be shared among survivors and their many supporters.
This is the first citywide event held to honor survivors in the Houston area, raise awareness of the many resources available and recognize the financial, interpersonal, physical and spiritual effects that the disease and its treatment can bring on. The event is open to any cancer survivor or patient in the Houston area, regardless of where they received treatment, and their families and friends.
The inspirational program will include a keynote address by John Vallely, a former Houston Rocket who also is a cancer survivor and caregiver. He will be joined on the stage by LaSalle Leffall, M.D., the two-term chair of the President’s Cancer Panel, and a number of cancer survivors who will share their stories. Leading the program will be emcee Linda Lorelle.
‘Survivorship Houston is an event that will honor the spirit of survivors and acknowledge the tremendous journeys that they have walked with their families, caregivers and friends,’ said Jo Ann Ward, chair of the Survivorship Houston Coalition and associate vice president for public affairs at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. ‘We invite everyone who has been touched by cancer to come to the event, share their experience and gain strength and inspiration.’
In addition to the program, there will be live music, an exhibit area, healthy snacks and a children’s activity area.
In the Houston area, hundreds of thousands of cancer survivors go to work, attend school, volunteer, play sports, travel and live their lives. Many survivors experience little or no major change in their lives after their treatment but some carry lingering effects, such as pain, numbness, fatigue, emotional trauma and financial strain.
Nationwide, there are 10.5 million survivors, thanks to better and earlier detection and new treatments that enable many people to survive their cancer or manage their disease for long periods of time. One out of every six people over 65 is a cancer survivor, and 1.4 million were diagnosed more than 20 years ago. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute, nearly 64 percent of adults and about 75 percent of children will survive a diagnosis of cancer.
To register, get more information and see the full listing of Survivorship Houston Coalition members, click on www.survivorshiphouston.org or call 713/745-0549. Survivorship Houston is free but registration is required.”
“Natick, Mass. May 6, 2008 – Ovations for the Cure has partnered with Carmen Marc Valvo to raise funds for ovarian cancer research through a sneak peek of the distinguished designer’s Fall 2008 Collection on May 9, 2008 at Natick Collection in Natick, Massachusetts.
The Sisterhood: Taking a Stand with Style Fashion Show & Luncheon leads directly into Women’s National Health Week (May 11-17), featuring 20 models and 50 designs on a squared-off U shaped runway at the largest retail mall in New England. Carmen Marc Valvo, whose fashion designs have graced celebrities such as Beyoncé, Lucy Liu, Oprah Winfrey, Kim Cattrall, Queen Latifah, Radha Mitchell, Vanessa Williams, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Goldie Hawn and Kate Winslet, discovered he had colon cancer in the fall of 2003. Mr Valvo’s early diagnosis helped saved his life. Early diagnosis of ovarian cancer is difficult as currently there is no accurate screening test for the ‘silent killer,’ which is the deadliest women’s gynecological cancer with mortality rates approaching 70 percent if not caught in the early stages. ‘The early detection of cancer is just as important as finding a cure,’ said Carmen Marc Valvo. ‘I’m proud to partner with Ovations for the Cure’s efforts to educate women about the early symptoms of ovarian cancer, while funding valuable research initiatives.’ The luncheon event will feature a special appearance by Carmen Marc Valvo and be hosted by Joyce Kulhawik, a two-time ovarian cancer survivor and former arts and entertainment reporter for Boston’s WBZ-TV.
‘We are excited to start Women’s National Health Week with a unique event featuring one of the most respected designers of the red carpet,’ said Debbie Soprano, executive director at Ovations for the Cure. ‘The research that we are able to fund through events such as this will help lead to an accurate screening test for ovarian cancer, increasing the likelihood of early detection and saving women’s lives.’ The Sisterhood: Taking a Stand with Style Fashion Show & Luncheon is Ovations for the Cure’s first event featuring Carmen Marc Valvo and his Collections
– Debbie Soprano, Executive Director of Ovations for the Cure
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About Ovations for the Cure
The Ovations for the Cure Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is dedicated to the relentless pursuit of a cure for ovarian cancer in two critical ways: first by proliferating broad-spectrum awareness of ovarian cancer risk factors and its subtle warning signs; and second, through the continued support of new and ongoing ovarian cancer research and treatment initiatives.”
[Quoted Source: “Distinguised Designer Takes a Stand With Ovations For The Cure For Women’s National Health Week,” ClutchMedia News Release, May 6, 2008.]
Yesterday, Libby’s H*O*P*E* added a new 
Libby's H*O*P*E* 