Our Story

United by Purpose

Stand Up To Cancer began in 2008 with nine women, each working to bring entertainment industry resources to bear in the fight against cancer.

Stand Up To Cancer’s co-founders were united by a transformative vision: to harness the power of the entertainment industry to advance a more collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to cancer research and treatment, with the ultimate goal to turn every cancer patient into a long-term survivor. In a revolutionary launch, SU2C’s inaugural televised fundraising special made history by airing simultaneously on the ABC, CBS, and NBC television networks. SU2C subsequently produced “roadblock” telecasts in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, and 2023, all featuring an array of stars from film, TV, sports, and journalism urging viewers to “stand up” and join the fight against cancer.

The most recent telecast aired simultaneously on more than 55 participating media platforms across the United States and Canada, including all four major broadcast networks in the U.S.

SU2C is supported by over 1,100 celebrity ambassadors, many of whom have participated in these telecasts and additional awareness efforts. With the help of people across the United States and Canada and corporate, philanthropic, and organizational donors, over $800 million has been pledged to support SU2C’s portfolio of innovative cancer research.

SU2C’s leadership is committed to delivering innovative, high-quality treatments swiftly and with accountability.

What is a Dream Team?

SU2C’s signature Dream Teams, selected and guided by leaders in the field, take innovative ideas from concept to patient to test ideas that have the potential to revolutionize cancer care and open whole new fields of investigation. Dream Team members span many disciplines and utilize the new tools of modern biology to attack research questions in a coordinated way with a focus on measurable milestones of progress.

Dream Teams Mission

Dream Teams foster collaboration, bringing together a variety of disciplines and enabling former competitors to put their collective knowledge toward problem-solving. SU2C Dream Teams practice a translational approach to research, where findings go beyond the lab and are converted into lifesaving treatments.

Expanding Dream Teams and Pioneering Cancer Research

SU2C Convergence

SU2C Convergence brings together the medical, physical, and computer sciences to explore big questions about cancer biology such as modeling cancer growth and drug resistance; and using Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches looking at the interplay between cancer and the immune system.

SU2C Catalyst^®

SU2C Catalyst rapidly explores new uses and combinations of drugs, devices, and therapies to spearhead the development of new cancer treatments for patients through early-stage clinical trials.

Cancer Interception

Cancer interception is the idea of finding and treating a cancer at the earliest possible point, perhaps even before a cancer cell has fully formed.

Major Highlights

2008 – 2010

Launch and Foundation

Founders of Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), a collaborative initiative bringing together scientists to accelerate cancer research and advancements.

Stand Up To Cancer was created to unite the scientific community and harness the power of collaboration in the fight against cancer. With a groundbreaking launch that brought together the major television networks, SU2C quickly established itself as a force in cancer research and fundraising. Early on, SU2C set the foundation for collaborative “Dream Teams” and launched funding programs to support innovative researchers.

The American Association for Cancer Research was established as SU2C’s scientific partner to support the review of grants it administers on behalf of SU2C. Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (hc), CEO of the AACR, was instrumental in setting up the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and recruiting Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., as the first chair of the SU2C SAC.

2008: SU2C launched with an inaugural telecast across major networks, generating widespread public support.
2009: Funding began for the first five “Dream Teams” and the launch of “Innovative Research Grants” (IRGs) for early-career scientists, fostering innovative research.

2013 – 2016

Initial Breakthroughs and International Growth

Scientist at a laboratory microscope, focused on analyzing samples for research purposes.

Building on its early success, SU2C achieved pivotal scientific breakthroughs leading to new cancer treatments and expanded its influence internationally with the launch of Stand Up To Cancer Canada. This period also marked the development of key initiatives, such as SU2C Catalyst^® and the SU2C “Convergence^®” program, which brought together diverse fields to accelerate research. These initiatives paved the way for SU2C to make significant strides in cancer treatment and research collaboration.

2013: The SU2C Dream Team led by James Allison, Ph.D. combined CTLA4 blockade with PD-1 inhibition and T-cell therapies in first-in-human clinical trials in melanoma and prostate cancers, leading the way for neoadjuvant NSCLC studies by team member Drew Pardoll, M.D., Ph.D.
2014: Establishment of Stand Up To Cancer Canada; the SU2C Pediatric Cancer Dream Team laid the groundwork for development of the first FDA approved CD19 CAR T therapy, Tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah, Novartis).
2015: Research by the SU2C Breast Cancer Dream Team led to the approval of Ibrance with letrozole in women with ER+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer, which was a first-in-class approval for a CDK4/6 inhibitor, and improved treatment options for women with metastatic disease; The SU2C Prostate Cancer Dream Team led by Arul Chinnaiyan, M.D., Ph.D. found high frequency of DNA-repair aberrations in metastatic PC, then tested PARP inhibition in clinical studies which laid the groundwork for use of Olaparib (AstraZeneca) for patients with homologous recombination repair gene-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer;
2016: Launch of SU2C Catalyst® and the SU2C “Convergence ®” program to foster interdisciplinary research.

2017 – 2019

Pioneering Cancer Interception and Additional Breakthroughs

Scientist observing a vial, examining contents for analysis in a laboratory setting.

In this phase, SU2C launched new and innovative grant programs, which, contributed to further scientific breakthroughs. These years solidified SU2C’s role as a leader in both developing new therapies and exploring early detection as a critical component of cancer treatment.

2018: Introduction of the “New Therapy Challenge” grants.
2019: The SU2C PI3K Dream Team’s research targeting PI3K in women’s cancer, led to the approval of alpelisib (Novartis) combined with fulvestrant (AstraZeneca) for advanced or metastatic HR+/HER2-, PIK3CA – mutated breast cancer in postmenopausal women and in men.

2020 – Present

Milestones in Funding and New Breakthroughs

Survivors holding placards, advocating for awareness and support in cancer research.

In 2020, SU2C reached significant milestones in its funding efforts and saw the approval of additional cancer therapies. With a total of nine scientific breakthroughs and over 150 Team Science grants funded, SU2C continued its mission to bring life-saving treatments to patients and advance cancer research at an unprecedented pace.

2020: The SU2C Colorectal Cancer Dream Team led by Luis Diaz, M.D. secured first-time approval for the use of an immunotherapeutic agent in the first-line setting for the treatment of patients with MSI-H/dMMR unresectable or metastatic colorectal cancer patients; Research by the SU2C-Dutch Cancer Society Research Team led to the approval of the encorafenib (Pfizer) and cetuximab (Lilly) combination drug for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer with a BRAF V600E mutation.
2021: The SU2C Catalyst® team led by Scott Antonia, M.D., Ph.D. and Eric Haura, M.D. demonstrated biological mechanisms and clinical feasibility of TIL therapy in late-stage NSCLC, leveraging support from five companies.
2022: The SU2C Colorectal Cancer Dream Team led by Luis Diaz, M.D. led a trial treating patients with mismatch repair–deficient stage II or III rectal adenocarcinoma. All 12 initial patients treated had a clinical complete response.
2023: The SU2C Convergence® Team led by Benjamin Greenbaum, Ph.D. and Vinod Balachandran, M.D. uses a machine learning approach to identify patient-specific neoantigens used to design RNA vaccines, with a positive response observed in the Phase I clinical trial.
2024: The SU2C Catalyst® Team led by David Kirsch, M.D., Ph.D. conducted a trial with radiation plus immunotherapy for sarcoma which met its primary endpoint and showed a 43% reduction in risk of relapse.

People standing in an arrow formation on the field, promoting the SU2C initiative and symbolizing support for cancer research.

“We are proud of all that SU2C has accomplished, and we’re thrilled to see the organization taking on the next great challenge in cancer research. Focusing on early-stage detection is perfectly aligned with SU2C’s purpose to advance life-saving research for all cancers.”

United by Purpose