Major League Baseball Dedicates Game One of the World Series to Stand Up To Cancer

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Oct 25, 2010, 03:46 ET

NEW YORK, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- A founding donor of Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), Major League Baseball (MLB) is continuing its commitment to help eradicate cancer by dedicating Game One of the World Series to SU2C. As millions of baseball fans tune in to watch the American League's Texas Rangers and National League's San Francisco Giants compete in the first game of the World Series on Wednesday, October 27th on FOX, MLB will once again bring the fight against cancer to the forefront and help raise funds for groundbreaking "translational" research designed to bring new therapies to patients quickly and save lives.

During the seventh-inning stretch of Game One of the World Series, a moving PSA featuring Academy Award® nominated actor, Jake Gyllenhaal will play on the jumbo screens for the crowd, as well as for millions at home watching FOX. Fans in the stadium will then be asked to stand in unison as sportscaster Joe Buck rallies the crowd -- and the viewing audience -- via an on-air call-to-action to "launch stars" in tribute to those diagnosed with cancer. With a donation of as little as one dollar, a star can be launched in the SU2C constellation on su2c.org to honor a loved one in the fight now, a survivor who is cancer-free, or in memory of someone lost to the disease. 100% of all donations received go directly to innovative cancer research. This effort builds on the presence of electronic SU2C banners which have been seen behind home plate in ballparks throughout the playoffs.

On October 26th, players from both teams will sign a large memorial wall in tribute to their friends and family members impacted by cancer. Similar memorials have been signed at the September 10th SU2C broadcast and PETCO Park in San Diego. In addition, on October 27th, Major League Baseball players, executives and representatives of SU2C will visit the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital spending time with patients battling cancer.

"Major League Baseball and Commissioner Selig, in particular, have shown a steadfast and generous commitment to the fight against cancer," said SU2C co-founder Laura Ziskin, who is a cancer survivor. "MLB's efforts have been a huge part of our success in building a grassroots movement in just over two years. We are deeply grateful to the commissioner, the team owners and their staffs, and the players who help convey this crucial message to fans all over the country: each and every person can make a difference... We can all help the scientists who are working 24/7 to end cancer."

In September 2010, MLB pledged an additional $20 million to Stand Up to Cancer, generously surpassing their original donation of $10 million in 2008. In the two short years between the landmark donations, MLB's involvement with Stand Up to Cancer has run deep, and the organizations have launched a series of innovative and interactive initiatives that increase awareness and encourage public action. This September, Stand Up To Cancer recognized Commissioner Selig and his wife, Sue for their support by announcing that SU2C's first "named" Innovative Research Grant will be made in their honor.

As part of its robust partnership with MLB, Stand Up To Cancer was a beneficiary of the annual MLB All Star 5K & Fun Run at the 2009 and 2010 All Star Games.

Every day, cancer kills 1,500 Americans – one person every minute. This year, more than 560,000 Americans and almost 8 million people worldwide will succumb to cancer. Stand Up To Cancer raises funds for groundbreaking translational cancer research to accelerate the delivery of new therapies to patients, getting them from the "bench to the bedside" as quickly as possible. While one in two men and one in three women will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetimes, there are twelve million cancer survivors in the U.S. today. Stand Up To Cancer brings together researchers to work collaboratively -- rather than competitively -- at a critical time in the field of cancer research where scientists are poised to push the disease from one that takes far too many lives to a survivable and, ultimately, curable one.

ABOUT SU2C

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) was established in 2008 by leaders from the film and media industries who utilize the resources of those businesses in unique ways to get the public involved in supporting a new model of cancer research. The group produced two major televised events, in 2008 and 2010, that raised funds for "Dream Teams" of scientists collaborating on research that will get new therapies to patients quickly in order to save lives now. More than 100 celebrities participated in each program, conveying how cancer connects us all, and telling the stories both of people who survived the disease, as well as those taken by it.

All of the major U.S. TV networks -- as well as many cable providers -- donated airtime for one or both of the broadcasts, which ran in more than 175 countries and raised millions of dollars for research. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and a Scientific Advisory Committee led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., conducted a rigorous, competitive review process through which SU2C's grantees were selected. More than 200 scientists from 50 institutions around the world are currently involved in SU2C research projects.

ABOUT THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FOUNDATION

Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that serves as the collective philanthropy for the television and film businesses. EIF has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support programs addressing critical health, education and social issues.

ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Major League Baseball (MLB) is the oldest professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada representing the highest level of professional baseball. Under the guidance of its ninth Commissioner, Allan H. (Bud) Selig, MLB has experienced dramatic changes including Interleague Play, the introduction of the Wild Card, a more comprehensive drug-testing program, significant revenue sharing among the clubs and a growth in revenue from $1.2 billion in 1992 to more than $6.5 billion in 2010. The last seven seasons have been the best attended in MLB history with each year, including 2010, eclipsing the 73 million mark. In addition, 14 clubs saw double digit percentage increases in their local television ratings. MLB also continued its "Going Beyond" efforts with a variety of new initiatives including participating in the second Stand Up To Cancer telethon, which has raised nearly $100 million for cancer research, and a partnership with the White House and First Lady Michelle Obama to support Let's Move!, a campaign started by the First Lady with the goal of solving the challenge of childhood obesity. With the recent launch of MLB Network and the continued success of MLB Advanced Media, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy the National Pastime. For more information on Major League Baseball, visit www.MLB.com.

SOURCE Stand Up To Cancer