Stand Up To Cancer

By InStyle.com
Nov 14, 2008 @ 11:42 am
Jason Merritt/FilmMagic
Stand Up To Cancer
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Jennifer Aniston

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Actors, musicians, athletes and journalists gathered at the Kodak Theater for the historic Stand Up To Cancer fund-raising event that benefited the fight against cancer. Jennifer Aniston joined celebrities like Salma Hayek, Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry to answer calls from donors and inform viewers about how the disease is affecting the world. The one-hour, commercial-free show was broadcast simultaneously on ABC, CBS and NBC and helped raise over $100 million for cancer research. The donations will be facilitating research that can help the 1.4 million cancer cases that the American Cancer Society predicts will be diagnosed this year.

-Molly Sullivan, with additional reporting by Lisa Tilson
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Jennifer Garner

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Glowing mom-to-be, Jennifer Garner, came to support the cause by answering phones and reading aloud the stories of cancer survivors. The stories were read by Garner, Halle Berry, Casey Affleck and Forest Whitaker while singer Josh Groban performed Imagine with Monica Mancini. The segment was emotional for both viewers and the performers. "We have been trying to keep ourselves from getting too choked up because it’s a really powerful moment," Groban said.

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Sheryl Crow, Christina Applegate, Melissa Etheridge

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Celebrity cancer survivors Sheryl Crow , Christina Applegate and Melissa Etheridge took a stand on stage together to inspire viewers to give to the cause. Most celebrities sported shirts designed for the event that read, “In Memory Of,” “Touched By,” “In the Fight” or “Survivor” depending on how they have been affected by cancer. "Your life changes when you hear the word cancer," said Crow, who also performed at the event. "I’m so happy to be a survivor, but more so that I get to sing with James Taylor."
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America Ferrera

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"I’ve had lots of friends who have lost loved ones," said Ugly Betty star America Ferrera (in Christian Louboutin pumps). "It’s everywhere and I think that this is a very inspiring event." The substantial funds raised at the event were given to the American Association for Cancer Research, who will administer the money to research projects and grants to facilitate ground-breaking research and bring new therapies to patients more quickly.

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Kirsten Dunst

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While many callers got to speak with celebrities like Kirsten Dunst, a few lucky bidders will get the chance to see Dunst on the set of her next Spiderman flick. Along with the telethon fund-raising, eBay hosted an online auction which included set visits to the next installations of the Spiderman and Iron Man, as well as a fondue lunch with Stephen Colbert.

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Mandy Moore

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Mandy Moore arrived on the Stand Up To Cancer red-carpet wearing studded Gucci heels and one of the event's T-shirts. While enthusiastic about supporting the cause, Moore was nervous about answering the phones. "Oh gosh, I know I’m going to drop a call or I’ll lose someone who’s making this giant donation." she said. "I’m just happy to be participating in the event today because I know I will be educating myself and learning a lot along with everyone watching the telecast."
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Casey Affleck

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Casey Affleck gave a moving reading of survivors' stories to help inspire people to get involved. "There really hasn’t been anyone who hasn’t been affected in one way or another," he said. His statement isn't far from the truth. Cancer kills 1,500 Americans every day, one person every minute. "An event like this is an opportunity to do something. It’s a big deal and I’m really glad that I got to be a part of this."

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Kate Bosworth

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Kate Bosworth took donations and watched the moving performances, including an ensemble effort live from Fashion Rocks of "Just Stand Up,"-a song created for the Stand Up To Cancer initiative-by Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Miley Cyrus, Natasha Bedingfield, Leona Lewis and Carrie Underwood. It's not too late to support the cause-donate online at standup2cancer.org.
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