Stand up to Cancer!

Last Friday night, an unprecedented event happened and was covered by three of the big four TV networks and was shown in 170 different countries. Stand up to Cancer is a united effort to end cancer’s reign as a leading cause of death in the US and the World. The actual show was OK, maybe a little hokey, but it was not your typical telethon. The concept was brilliant, get the most recognizable stars in TV, movies, music and sports and have them talk about the different types of cancer and what can be done to catch it early and how to treat it. The amount of money raised for cancer research is amazing; currently they have raised over 100 million dollars for cancer research. The show was a lot like a celebrity who’s who and they all had a part to play during the event. Some answered phones (I am still not convinced they actually talk to real people) others gave a quick monolog or dialog about how cancer has effected them, while others actually allowed them to tape them getting a cancer screening. It was inspiring for us (Meg and I) to see Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, and Christina Applegate speak about the importance of mammograms and how they caught their breast cancer early and are doing well today. It was an hour of TV geared to raise awareness and money for cancer research. As a person who has had two of the most important people in my life personally been affected by a cancer, I really appreciate the efforts that all of the networks and stars put into the cause. I just hope this isn’t a one-time event and that the awareness continues to grow. Please take some time to make a donation and I hope everyone gets tested soon and often. The earlier cancer is caught, the easier it is to cure or contain. So please everyone, set up a time to start your cancer screening today! I am serious!