Thinking about cancer can be scary. We’re all connected to the disease in some way. But the good thing: there are tons of organizations working hard to support the fight against it. And you can help, too.
To prepare for the Stand Up 2 Cancer live telethon, here are five cancer organizations you can volunteer for or donate to (in no particular order):
1. Stand Up 2 Cancer
Stand Up 2 Cancer launched in 2008 by a group women, all affected by cancer in some way. They focused on using the entertainment industry and the internet as outlets to raise awareness.
They have a bi-annual, hour-long telethon that raises money for cancer research during the broadcast. Celebrities from television to film to music participate in the program. Additionally, the UK launched their version in 2012 and YouTube began partnering with them, as well. 100% of the donations to SU2C go to their cancer research programs. To find out more, visit standup2cancer.org.
2. American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society began over 100 years ago with one mission: to have a world with more birthdays. The cool thing about ACS is that it may be based in the U.S., but it has branches worldwide. ACS works every day to find cures with their research programs. They provide lodging and travel for patients needing treatment, and go to speak with policymakers to make sure cancer issues are a national/international priority. Under ACS is Relay For Life, the world’s largest cancer fundraiser. It occurs in 24 countries and has raised over $5 Billion to date. To help finish the fight with ACS, visit cancer.org.
3. LIVESTRONG
Over the years, you may have seen friends or family members wearing a yellow wristband that said “LIVESTRONG” on it. Well, this is where it is from. The LIVESTRONG Foundation stands for improving the lives of those affected by cancer. Their priority is to make sure the patients and survivors are put first, making sure they’re comfortable and receiving the care they need. Since beginning in 1997, they’ve raised over $48 million for programs to help those with cancer. They’ve developed community programs and one-on-one support for patients, their caregivers and survivors. For more, visit livestrong.org.
4. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Cancer is a heartbreaking thing to witness someone go through, especially if it’s a child. The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures and prevention through research and treatment. Through St. Jude, a child won’t be turned away due to race, religion or their family’s financial status. All funding for the hospital comes from donations, and with this, they never bill the families for their stay. St. Jude serves as a home for children worldwide seeking treatment. Through research and these treatments, the childhood cancer survival rate is up to 80%, which is a huge jump from 20% at the time of St. Jude’s founding in 1962. If you want to help, visit stjude.org.
5. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation first began as just “Alex’s Lemonade Stand.” The stand was started by Alexandra “Alex” Scott. Just before her first birthday, Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer found primarily in young children. After a stem cell transplant the day after her fourth birthday, Alex said she wanted to start a lemonade stand to raise money so doctors could “help other kids like they’ve helped me.” The first year, she and her older brother raised $2,000. Since then, she and her family held annual lemonade stands. Sadly, she passed away in August 2004, but she managed to reach her goal of raising $1 million to help find a cure. On her 9th birthday, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer officially came to be. Its mission is funding and finding cures for all children battling this disease. To see how you can help, visit alexslemonade.org.
These are only a few of the world’s leading organizations that support the fight against cancer. You can help by donating, volunteering and fundraising. Anything helps if it means getting rid of cancer once and for all.
Tune in to the Stand Up 2 Cancer live telethon on Friday, September 9th at 8pm!