Jul 21, 2008 10:20 pm US/Central
Cancer Survivors Unite For Major Campaign
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Lance Armstrong and Elizabeth Edwards visited U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago on July 21, 2008, to promote "Stand Up To Cancer," a new program to raise money for cancer research.
CBS
A major cancer awareness campaign and fundraiser will soon be coming to televisions across the country. "Stand Up To Cancer" will be broadcast on three of the four major networks.
CBS 2's Mai Martinez reports that on Monday, part of the show's opening segment was shot at U.S. Cellular Field and some big names were there for the taping.
Cancer survivors Lance Armstrong and Elizabeth Edwards were here along with a sold out crowd to star in what we've been told will be a large part of the historical Sept. 5 "Stand Up To Cancer" broadcast.
Instead of White Sox and Rangers on the field, fans at the U.S. Cellular Field Monday night were greeted by Armstrong and Edwards, along with several other cancer survivors.
The group was in Chicago promoting "Stand Up To Cancer," a new initiative supported by Major League Baseball and several major television networks.
The goal is to raise cancer awareness and money to fund ground-breaking cancer research. The executive producer of the one-hour special – which will air on Sept. 5 on CBS, ABC, and NBC – said the money for cancer research is needed more now than ever.
Laura Ziskin, also a cancer survivor said, "We are on the verge of remarkable breakthroughs in the prevention, in the detection, and ultimately in the treatment of cancer.
It was a sentiment echoed by many of the high-profile people lending their names and time to the cause.
Edwards said, "There are people who are fighting everyday waiting for this research to be done."
Armstrong, whose own "Live Strong" campaign has done much to promote cancer awareness, said the "Stand Up To Cancer" initiative represents the strongest and most unified attempt to fight cancer on several levels, most importantly by funding research and educating the public.
"It reminds people. I mean this is one hour on all the networks, in people's face, in their hearts, in their minds, in their brains, that this is the number one killer of people in this country for people under the age of 85," Armstrong said.
The "Stand Up To Cancer" organization picked U.S. Cellular Field to tape part of their show because of White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf's support. He told them early on that Major League Baseball should be involved and even arranged a meeting with MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, who contributed $10 million to the cause on behalf of the league.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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