CVS Health Announces $10 Million Commitment to Stand Up To Cancer to Fund Innovative Cancer Research

CVS/pharmacy to host in-store fundraising campaign during November's Lung Cancer Awareness Month to support Stand Up To Cancer

News provided by

CVS Health

Nov 03, 2014, 09:00 ET

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Nov. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS/pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), today announced an in-store fundraising campaign to help raise funds to support cancer research. Now through November 22, CVS/pharmacy customers will have the opportunity to support Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) at the register in stores nationwide and online at www.cvs.com/SU2C. SU2C raises funds to accelerate the pace of cancer research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. This campaign is part of CVS Health's three-year $10 million commitment to SU2C.

Cancer kills almost 1,600 Americans every day; that's approximately one person per minute. However, there are currently an estimated 13.7 million cancer survivors living in the United States. Working with top experts in cancer research, Stand Up To Cancer is forging new ways to develop breakthrough treatments to make every person diagnosed with cancer a survivor. CVS Health is helping to provide necessary funding to support SU2C's innovative cancer programs.

"As a pharmacy innovation company, CVS Health works with a number of nonprofit organizations that align with our purpose of helping people on their path to better health. We are so proud to collaborate with Stand Up To Cancer," said Helena Foulkes, President, CVS/pharmacy. "Together, and with the support of our customers and colleagues, we can have a positive impact on the lives of people living with cancer and help to bring new and effective treatments to patients as quickly as possible."

Donations made during the CVS/pharmacy in-store campaign will support SU2C's collaborative research model where teams of investigators at different institutions and across multiple disciplines work together to translate their research from the laboratory to the patient to save lives now.

"We are so grateful to CVS/pharmacy and their employees for engaging its customers in supporting the SU2C movement and our collaborative research model," said SU2C co-founder Katie Couric. "By offering shoppers such an easy way to donate, CVS Health will help SU2C continue funding the most promising cancer research, as well as remind millions of consumers of our core message: that each and every one of us can make a difference in the effort to turn more cancer patients into cancer survivors."

As part of its commitment to helping people on their path to better health, CVS Health announced in February 2014 that it would stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products at its 7,700 CVS/pharmacy locations, making CVS/pharmacy the first and only national pharmacy chain to take this step to help people lead tobacco-free lives. On September 3, CVS Health announced the official end of tobacco sales at all CVS/pharmacy locations, nearly a month ahead of the previously targeted date of October 1. This collaboration extends CVS Health's commitment to helping people lead tobacco-free lives as smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and contributes to a number of other chronic diseases.

This is the first time SU2C has collaborated with a retail pharmacy company for an in-store fundraising campaign. Throughout the campaign, customers can make a $1 or $3 donation at the register in all CVS/pharmacy locations and online. To learn more, or to make a donation, please visit www.cvs.com/SU2C.

About Stand Up To Cancer

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in 2008 by film and media leaders who utilize the industry's resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, and to increase awareness about cancer prevention as well as progress being made in the fight against the disease. As SU2C's scientific partner, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and a Scientific Advisory Committee led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., conduct rigorous, competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration, and provide expert review of research progress.

About CVS Health
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through our 7,700 retail pharmacies, more than 900 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 65 million plan members, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, we enable people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable, effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at www.cvshealth.com.

Media Contacts:
Joanne Dwyer, CVS/pharmacy
(401) 770-2898 (office)
(401) 477-0321 (cell)
[email protected]

Eva Pereira, RF|Binder
(781) 559-0424
[email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140905/143585

SOURCE CVS Health