Entertainment

Stand Up To Cancer: More Than 100 Stars Turn Out In Support

By Mary-Jayne McKay

September 10, 2010 / 9:21 PM EDT / CBS News

Actor Rob Lowe and model Cindy Crawford man the phones during Stand Up To Cancer at Sony Pictures Studios on Sept. 10, 2010, in Culver City, Calif. (Getty Images) Handout

"Stand up to Cancer," the hour-long telethon carried by all four TV networks, got off the ground Friday night with A-list stars such as George Clooney, appearing on camera to support the money-raising effort.

Network news anchors Charles Gibson, Katie Couric and Brian Williams reported on cutting-edge cancer research that has been financed by the effort since its start in 2008.

Photos: Stars Stand Up To Cancer
Photos: 2010 Stand Up To Cancer Telethon

.The SU2C initiative so far has raised more than $100 million. In addition to the thousands of individuals who have made donations through the website and via phone, donors have included Major League Baseball which made a $10 million commitment and actively encourages fans to support SU2C, Amgen, Bloomberg Philanthropies, GlaxoSmithKline, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and Revlon.

So far, the initiative has spent $83.5 million to fund 13innovative scientists and five Dream Teams for a 3-year period. In all more than 200 researchers at 50 institutions will benefit.