Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) and Rally Health, Inc. launched today a series of video public service announcements (PSAs) featuring actor and comedian Anthony Anderson, singer LeAnn Rimes, actress Felicity Huffman and actor and comedian Martin Short.
The digital and broadcast public awareness campaign is part of SU2C and Rally Health’s ongoing campaign to raise awareness about the importance of proactive cancer screenings and early detection.
Ranging in length from 30-seconds to 2-minutes, the video PSAs feature the stars singing musical jingles that use humorous lyrics to address the serious topic of getting screened for breast and colorectal cancers. Anderson and Rimes sing together in the PSA about breast cancer screenings, while Huffman and Short use their musical and comedic talents to focus on colorectal cancer screenings. They all participate in comedic, yet informative PSAs that speak generally about the importance of getting screened.
All of the PSAs encourage people to visit GetScreenedNow.org, a collaboration between Rally and SU2C, where people can take the pledge to get screened. The website helps them find out which cancer screenings and vaccinations are recommended for them based on their age and gender, and provides a list of simple actions they can take to help lower their risks for certain types of cancer. People who take the pledge to get screened are encouraged to invite their family and friends to take the pledge as well.
The PSAs launched this month, which is colorectal cancer awareness month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon or rectum) is the second leading killer among cancers that affect both men and women, and the third most common form of cancer in the country. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2017, about 135,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and it will claim about 50,000 lives.
“It’s not every day you get to sing about colons, and you wouldn’t necessarily think it could be funny, but funny is what you get with Martin Short. All kidding aside, I’m honored to be part of this extremely important initiative with Stand Up To Cancer and Rally,” said the Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning Huffman. “As someone who has had close family and friends touched by cancer, I am eager to spread this message about getting screened and early detection so that fewer families and friends have to endure the same pain.”
“It was awesome to team up with Felicity to sing about colons. Who knew? I’m proud to join Stand Up To Cancer and Rally Health in helping to spread the word about the potentially lifesaving value of colorectal cancer screening,” said the Emmy Award-winning Short. “Staying on top of your health is one of the most important things you can do. We encourage everyone in our lives to take the Pledge to learn which screenings are recommended for them.”
According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight U.S. women is expected to develop breast cancer during her lifetime, and just fewer than 30 percent of newly diagnosed cancers in women will be breast cancers. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, after lung cancer; however, fewer women are dying from it today than in the past due to advances in early detection and treatment for many types of breast cancers. In fact, breast cancer deaths declined by 36 percent from its peak in 1989 to 2012 due to treatment and early detection.
“I’m honored to help Stand Up To Cancer and Rally increase awareness about the importance of breast cancer screenings,” said Grammy Award-winning Rimes. “It’s important to know your risks for cancer, especially breast cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for U.S. women. By taking the pledge, you are also taking a step toward prevention and early detection – which are both key in the fight against cancer.”
“Breast cancer has taken too many of our mothers, sisters, grandmothers and friends, and I’m proud to join Stand Up To Cancer and Rally to help change that statistic,” said Anderson, who currently stars on Black-ish. “By getting screened early on, women can take charge of their health and take preventive actions against cancer.”
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Rally and LeAnn Rimes, Anthony Anderson, Felicity Huffman and Martin Short on this initiative,” said Stand Up To Cancer co-founder, and president and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation Lisa Paulsen. “It takes just a few minutes to be informed on screenings that can potentially save your life. That’s why it is critical that we continue to build awareness about the importance of screenings and early detection – not just for breast cancer and colorectal cancer but all cancers in general.”
“All of us at Rally Health and Stand Up To Cancer sincerely thank LeAnn Rimes, Anthony Anderson, Felicity Huffman and Martin Short for generously lending their vocal and comedic talents to help us reach as many people as possible with the message to get screened and take measures to prevent cancer,” said David Ko, president and COO of Rally Health.
The PSAs are part of a multiyear collaboration between Stand Up To Cancer and Rally Health launched last year and focused on informing people about the importance of proactive cancer screenings and taking preventive actions against cancer. SU2C and Rally launched GetScreenedNow.org last summer to help people find out which cancer screenings are recommended for them and pledge to get screened.
