ABC, CBS and NBC are joining with Stand Up To Cancer for a simultaneous primetime fundraiser on all three networks September 5th. In an unprecedented move, the three evening news anchors – Charles Gibson of ABC, Katie Couric of CBS and Brian Williams of NBC – made the rounds of the morning news shows together yesterday to announce the joint project.
Couric, whose husband died of cancer, has long been an active campaigner for cancer awareness and raising money for cancer research. She is part of the leadership team of Stand Up To Cancer which organized the three-network broadcast. "Television is a notoriously competitive business. For the three major broadcast networks to join forces is a wonderful example of the power of working together, and we’re very grateful to have the opportunity to reach people all over the country through this show," she said.
"Not only has cancer touched all of our media organizations in profound ways, but it has touched each of us personally,” said Williams.
"The statistics are staggering. Cancer claims one person every minute of every day in the United States. Every year in this country, it takes the lives of more than half a million people…worldwide, cancer kills more than six million people annually,” noted Gibson.
Stand Up To Cancer says its approach to research is designed to eliminate barriers that have traditionally inhibited creativity and collaboration by enabling the best and brightest investigators from leading institutions across the country and internationally to work together. These collaborative "Dream Teams" will pursue the most promising research, accelerating the discovery of new therapies for cancer patients and advancing efforts in cancer prevention research. Stand Up To Cancer monies will also be used for some high-risk, high-impact cancer research proposals, which are often not supported by conventional funding sources.
