When most people hear the words “stand up” used in connection with Cedric The Entertainer, their brains most likely associate them with his “King of Comedy” status.
But starting this month, fans will see him “Stand Up” to encourage others to advocate for their health during a crucial and vulnerable time.
The veteran comedian, television star and St. Louis native is no stranger to lending his celebrity to advocate for community health.
For years, he worked alongside his mother Rosetta Boyce Kyles– and later in her memory – to create a resource for women’s healthcare in his hometown.
And through a new public service announcement, Cedric will serve as the latest face in an initiative of Stand Up To Cancer.
The PSAs are designed to educate and encourage cancer patients to explore treatment options available through clinical trials. They are the third in a series of PSAs supporting Stand Up To Cancer’s Health Equity Initiative, which is aimed at increasing diversity in cancer clinical trials.
Cedric’s PSA follows campaigns by actors Sonequa Martin-Green and Jaime Camil, and features a personal call to action from him to learn more about cancer clinical trials. Cedric, who currently stars in the CBS Network primetime sitcom “The Neighborhood,” has been supporting Stand Up To Cancer since 2018. He was inspired by his mother’s 2009 uterine cancer diagnosis to become an advocate for the cause.
“My mother’s cancer journey taught me about the value of advocating for yourself and knowing your options,” Cedric said. “Participation in cancer clinical trials is extremely low in the Black community, and I am proud to work with Stand Up To Cancer and take action to address this important issue.”
The PSA will run in print, digital and out-of-home outlets.
“Watching my mother go through her cancer diagnosis taught me the importance of clinical trials,” the PSA reads. “Knowledge is power. Understanding what clinical trial options are available to you and your family can make all the difference”
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. It 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 2020, more than 1,600 scientists representing more than 180 institutions are involved in SU2C-funded research projects.
SU2C’s Health Equity Initiative, announced in January 2020, aims to increase diversity in cancer clinical trials to ensure patients of all racial and ethnic backgrounds benefit equally from the potential of cancer treatments, and that research addresses differences in genetics, metabolism and physiology. Currently, data from the FDA shows only 4 percent of total cancer clinical trial participants are Black, and 5 percent are Hispanic, even though people of color have the highest mortality rates and shortest overall survival rates for most cancers.
Stand Up To Cancer has implemented new procurement requirements for all future research grant proposals to determine whether the research area of focus impacts a specific minority population. These procurement requirements will necessitate that all proposals provide plans for patient recruitment and retention of historically underrepresented populations.
“We’re honored Cedric the Entertainer has joined us to raise awareness about the importance and benefits of cancer clinical trials,” said Stand Up To Cancer CEO Sung Poblete, PhD, RN. “The incredible altruism of the entertainment community has helped us advance our goal of delivering more cutting-edge research and resources for cancer patients in diverse communities, who need our support now more than ever.”
Visit StandUpToCancer.org/ClinicalTrials to learn more about cancer clinical trials.
