LOS ANGELES – March 17, 2021 –Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx has joined Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) and Exact Sciences for a new public service announcement (PSA), which raises awareness about colorectal cancer screenings, early detection and prevention, and focuses on reaching underrepresented communities. The campaign launched today to coincide with Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and is in both English and Spanish. The PSA will be placed across print, broadcast, radio, digital and out-of-home outlets.
“Cancer affects everyone. I’ve lost good friends – young friends – to this deadly disease,” said Foxx. “We need to make sure that we are taking care of our bodies, paying attention to certain things, that you didn’t necessarily think about when you were younger. Medical issues come up and you may not know what’s at your disposal, so that is why I am proud to shine a light on the importance of getting screened for colon cancer early and bring awareness to the options that are available with this PSA campaign.”
In 2020, nearly 148,000 Americans received a new diagnosis of colon or rectal cancer. Black people have the highest colorectal cancer rates of any ethnic group in the United States. They are 20% more likely to get colorectal cancer and 40% more likely to die from it than any other population. And research has shown that colorectal cancer screening rates are the lowest in Hispanic communities, with Black and Hispanic people typically being diagnosed at a later stage in the disease when it is more difficult to treat.
“We are so thankful to Jamie Foxx for lending his voice to this campaign. We have seen a sharp drop in screenings as a result of COVID-19, and this compounds an already significant screening disparity in minority communities,” said Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, CEO of Stand Up To Cancer. “With routine screening, colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. It’s beatable in 90% of cases when detected early, and lives can be saved with just one simple step. People must get screened!”
“We are thrilled to partner with Jamie Foxx and our friends at Stand Up To Cancer to get more people thinking about their options for colorectal cancer screening,” said Kevin Conroy, chairman and CEO of Exact Sciences. “We remain committed to addressing the challenges we face in colorectal cancer screening and helping to save lives with education, awareness and cutting-edge research. Providing personalized outreach and making it easier to get people screened is vital, especially in minority communities.”
The PSA campaign is part of a larger initiative between Exact Sciences and SU2C. With a $10 million grant from Exact Sciences, SU2C will launch a new colorectal cancer ‘Dream Team’ of researchers that will identify communities near anchor institutions serving medically underserved communities. This Dream Team will help pinpoint unique local needs of those areas and will provide free colorectal cancer testing in the identified zones and study samples collected via approved tests for colorectal cancer, including colonoscopy, CT colonography, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and at-home stool tests that analyze fecal DNA and/or blood. The research will aim to develop better approaches to colorectal cancer interception.
The PSA was directed by Tommy Walker and photographed by G.L. Askew II for Petrol Advertising, a creative marketing and advertising agency specializing in gaming, sports, technology and philanthropy. Walker co-directed and produced the feature-length documentary, God Grew Tired of Us, which won Best Documentary and Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and produced the 2019 documentary, Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am. Askew, originally from Atlanta, is an artist whose work is rooted in communicating the truth of the human experience.
To learn more about screening options, visit StandUpToCancer.org/ColonCancer.
About Stand Up To Cancer
Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C, a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in 2008 by media and entertainment leaders who utilize these communities’ resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, to increase awareness about cancer prevention, and to highlight progress being made in the fight against the disease. As of January 2021, more than 1,950 scientists representing more than 210 institutions are involved in SU2C-funded research projects.
Under the direction of our Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., SU2C operates rigorous competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration, and ensure collaboration across research programs.
Current members of the SU2C Founders and Advisors Committee (FAC) include Katie Couric, Sherry Lansing, Kathleen Lobb, Lisa Paulsen, Rusty Robertson, Sue Schwartz, Pamela Oas Williams, and Ellen Ziffren. The late Laura Ziskin and the late Noreen Fraser are also co-founders. Sung Poblete, Ph.D., R.N., serves as SU2C’s CEO.
For more information, visit StandUpToCancer.org.
About Exact Sciences Corp.
A leading provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, Exact Sciences relentlessly pursues smarter solutions providing the clarity to take life-changing action, earlier. Exact Sciences is investing in its product pipeline to take on some of the deadliest cancers and improve patient care. Exact Sciences unites visionary collaborators to help advance the fight against cancer. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.exactsciences.com, follow Exact Sciences on Twitter @ExactSciences, or find Exact Sciences on Facebook.
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Media Contacts:
Stand Up To Cancer ID PR
Fiona McRobert su2c@id-pr.com
fmcrobert@su2c.org 646-723-3800
