More than a dozen of Hollywood’s young stars have joined together for a new public service campaign called “Change The Odds,” in support of Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), an initiative raising critical funds for innovative cancer research. The SU2C “Change the Odds” PSA launched online today and will be featured on the upcoming SU2C broadcast event on September 10.
The cast includes Zac Efron, Dakota Fanning, Andrew Garfield, Vanessa Hudgens, Logan Lerman, Kristen Bell, Jon Heder, Aubrey Plaza, Zachary Levi, Sofia Vassilieva, Clark Duke, Olivia Munn, Naya Rivera, Donald Faison, Aaron Yoo and William Moseley. The PSA can be viewed here.
Co-directed by Marc Webb ((500) Days of Summer, Untitled Spider Man Reboot) and Rich Lee and produced by Laura Ziskin and Pam Williams, the “Change The Odds” PSA calls on younger audiences to join the SU2C movement for those they love and the future of their generation.
“Change the Odds” puts cancer into perspective as a disease everyone must stand up to. Through eight vignettes, the odds of several scenarios that are quite low, like becoming an astronaut (1 in 13,200,000) or getting trapped in an elevator (1 in 24,528), are contrasted with those of being diagnosed with cancer. In the United States, one in two men and one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes.
“It is important for young people to be aware of the scope of the problem and the odds that they may face, both for their own future and for their loved ones,” said Ziskin, co-founder and executive producer of the Stand Up To Cancer telecast. “This piece is about how it is never too soon to take a stand against these devastating and epidemic diseases. Theirs may be the generation that gets us to the finish line. We are so grateful to all the young stars and to Marc Webb and Rich Lee for joining our cause so brilliantly.”
The PSA sends viewers to standup2cancer.org/changetheodds, where compelling content from featured talent and important facts about cancer will educate young people about ways they can reduce their cancer risks, including wearing sunscreen, quitting smoking and adding anti-cancer foods to their diets.
“We want to communicate that each and every one of us can play a part in changing the odds of getting cancer in our lifetimes, especially the younger generation,” said Webb. “Seeing these young stars get involved makes me so proud to be a part of the Stand Up To Cancer movement.”
Stand Up To Cancer will return to primetime TV on September 10, 2010, at 8PM EST & PST / 7PM CT. The one-hour fundraising event will be simulcast live and commercial-free on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, HBO, Discovery Health, E!, MLB Network, The Style Network, VH1, HBO Latino, Showtime, TV One, G4 and hosted by network news anchors Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams.
As in the landmark 2008 broadcast, this year’s SU2C telecast will feature live performances by legendary recording artists and stars from film, television and sports, presenting content that provides viewers with insights into cancer. The star-studded SU2C television special builds continuing public support and donations for cutting-edge cancer research that translates at a rapid pace from the laboratory to treatments and technologies benefitting patients. One hundred percent of all donations received from the public will go directly to cancer research.
The 2008 telecast was viewed in more than 170 countries and helped raise over $100 million. More than $83 million has since been committed to five multi-disciplinary “Dream Teams” of researchers from more than 50 institutions, as well as to 13 young innovative scientists who are undertaking high-risk yet potentially high-reward projects to end the reign of cancer as a leading cause of death in the world today.
