MLB, Players, Fans Prepare To Stand Up 2 Cancer During World Series Game 3
By Barry Janoff
October 29, 2015: In the midst of a World Series with the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets, MLB and Stand Up To Cancer will break a campaign starring such players as Anthony Rizzo (Chicago Cubs), Bryce Harper (Washington Nationals), Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels) Felix Hernandez (Seattle Mariners), David Price (Toronto Blue Jays) and Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh Pirates).
The series of PSA's, under the umbrella theme, "Potential," will break on Fox during coverage of Game 3 of the World Series.
In addition, fans in attendance in Citi Field, home of the Mets, will hold Stand Up 2 Cancer placards on which they have written the name(s) of people for whom they stand up.
According to SU2C, the campaign "offers an intimate look into the lives of MLB stars when they were young and developing their passion for baseball, including cancer survivor and Cubs first baseman Rizzo,
The initial spot, "Potential/Pearl."also features seven-year-old Pearl Bucknam, a Wilm's Tumor survivor.
Among others in the campaign are Dylan Roslauski, 9, whose Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is now in remission; and Aidan Smithburger, 8, who is currently fighting Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, according to SU2C.
"Potential/Pearl" shows Rizzo, Trout and Fernandez as kids playing ball, then Pearl with text, "Every kid deserves the chance to dream." The spot ends with the text, "Stand Up For the 163,000 kids diagnosed with cancer each year."
Since SU2C's launch in 2008, MLB and its 30 clubs, founding donors of SU2C and, have to date committed nearly $40 million to SU2C's innovative cancer research, per SU2C.
For their efforts, Stand Up To Cancer with MLB was named Grand Sports Marketer of the Year in 2013 by the readers of NYSportsJournalism.
"Major League Baseball's foremost goals revolve around children, and we are grateful that many kids aspire to call themselves Major Leaguers one day. In that spirit, the new public service announcement by our friends at Stand Up To Cancer is particularly meaningful," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "Throughout the 2015 World Series, it will be an honor for our game to shine a light on boys and girls who are truly courageous and inspirational."
According to SU2C co-founder Rusty Robertson, "MLB has been there for us since the beginning. Beyond their extraordinary generosity, MLB has brought home the emotional impact of our movement in an inspiring way.
"When 50,000 people stand up in a baseball stadium holding placards with the names of loved ones in the fight or someone lost to cancer, it sends an important message to anyone struggling with this disease: 'You are not alone. We are fighting alongside you'," said Robertson.
In addition to his involvement with SU2C, Rizzo is the founder and creator of the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2012, operated entirely under the auspices of his family, friends and management team. Their goal is to "provide support to children and their families battling cancer while raising money for cancer research.
"It is so special to be involved in such an inspiring campaign with Stand Up To Cancer and MLB," Rizzo said in a statement. "As a cancer survivor, I know firsthand what it takes to fight this disease — courage, strength, and the support of people all around you cheering you on. I'm proud to play for an organization that understands how powerful our voices are in the fight against cancer."
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