LOS ANGELES – September 26, 2011 — Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is proud to announce that renowned Hispanic television star Ana Maria Polo,host of the popular Telemundo show “Caso Cerrado,” will appear in a new public service announcement (PSA), bringing her signature courtroom resolve to the fight against cancer. Ana María Polo, a breast cancer survivor herself, is the latest to become a Stand Up To Cancer ambassador and joins an esteemed list of national and international celebrity supporters of the initiative, which raises awareness and funds for collaborative cancer research.

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The PSA’s message, “It’s Up 2 All of Us to Stand Up To Cancer,” conveys the importance of uniting together to fight against this disease that claims the lives of so many – regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity.  One in two men and one in three women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes.  The campaign calls on everyone to take a stand to change those dire odds.

“Being a breast cancer survivor, I want to do anything I can to help increase the odds for everyone else facing the battle against cancer.  I know that if we unite together, we can close the case against cancer for good,” said Polo.

“We are deeply grateful for Ana Maria Polo’s support,” said SU2C Co-Founder Rusty Robertson.  “Not only is she a well-respected lawyer and television star with an amazing fan base, she has inspired countless individuals by sharing her battle against breast cancer.”    

In 2010, Polo joined Stand Up To Cancer on the steps of City Hall, as the City of Los Angeles declared September 10^th “Stand Up To Cancer Day.” For the new PSA, she was photographed in a black SU2C t-shirt which proclaims, “Unidos Contra El Cancer.” Shirts similar to the one worn by Polo can be purchased for $24.99, in addition to other clothing and accessory items, at the SU2C store. Net proceeds go directly to supporting collaborative cancer research by multidisciplinary “Dream Teams” of scientists.

Stand Up To Cancer's innovative approach to research is designed to eliminate barriers that have traditionally inhibited creativity and collaboration by enabling the best and brightest investigators from leading institutions across the country and internationally to work together. Five SU2C collaborative "Dream Teams" are pursuing the most promising research, accelerating the discovery of new therapies for cancer patients and advancing efforts in cancer prevention research. Stand Up To Cancer also awards Innovative Research Grants to individual investigators pursuing high-risk, potentially high-reward cancer research.

Ana María Polo is one of the most prestigious television personalities today, thanks to her objectivity and charisma. She leads cases with a strong hand and an open heart, becoming one of the most beloved faces in Spanish language television, both in and out of the United States. With over 20 years experience in law, Ana Maria Polo has won multiple awards, including a nomination to the prestigious National Daytime Entertainment Emmy®.  She is also involved with several causes of personal importance to her, including the fight against cancer, human rights and discrimination.

Stand Up To Cancer movement (SU2C) – a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization – was established by nine women in the entertainment and news industries who utilize the unique resources of those businesses to engage the public in supporting a new model of cancer research, designed to get new therapies to patients quickly.

Members of SU2C’s Executive Leadership Council include: Sherry Lansing, chairperson of the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s (EIF) Board of Directors and founder of the Sherry Lansing Foundation; EIF President and CEO Lisa Paulsen; Katie Couric; EIF Senior Vice President Kathleen Lobb; Rusty Robertson and Sue Schwartz of the Robertson Schwartz Agency; Pam Williams, partner at Laura Ziskin Productions; and nonprofit executive Ellen Ziffren. The late Laura Ziskin, a legendary film producer who executive produced the 2008 and 2010 SU2C telecasts, was also a co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer.

SU2C’s “Dream Team” approach to funding translational cancer research enables scientists from different disciplines at research centers across the country and internationally to collaborate on projects geared toward getting new, less toxic treatments to patients as quickly as possible. Monies also support individual researchers pursuing innovative cancer research projects that are often deemed “too risky” by conventional funding sources. As SU2C’s scientific collaborator, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), led by a prestigious SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee, provides scientific oversight, expert review of the research projects, and grants administration.

About the Entertainment Industry Foundation

The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), the collective philanthropic organization for the television and film businesses, has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support programs addressing critical health, education and social issues.