National Stand Up To Cancer Day is observed on the second Friday in September, and although it has the word “national” in its name, it is actually a holiday observed in over 170 countries. The purpose of this holiday is to raise funds for translational cancer research through various televised or online efforts.

Each and every day, over 5,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer and could benefit from the latest cancer research. That’s why this holiday is so important and one that everyone should consider celebrating.

The History of National Stand Up To Cancer Day

Stand Up To Cancer, also known as SU2C, is a charitable program that was started by a group of women who had been affected by cancer. These women believed that merging media and entertainment sources into a single fundraising operation would help them fight against this disease.

They launched the organization on May 27, 2008. On September 5, 2008, the holiday was officially established to raise money for cancer research.

Facts About Cancer

Over the course of our research, we’ve come across some interesting facts about cancer—facts that we would like to share with everyone reading about this holiday. The more we learn about cancer, the more we can work together to fight it and eventually eliminate it from our daily lives.

• The word “cancer” comes from the Latin word for crab.
• The earliest description of cancer was found on an ancient Egyptian papyrus dating back to 1,600 B.C.
• More skin cancer cases are due to indoor tanning than lung cancer cases due to smoking.
• There are over 200 different types of cancer, and they can affect any part of the body.
• For women, the most common cancers are breast, lung, and colorectal.
• For men, the most common cancers are prostate, lung, and colorectal.
• There are an estimated 2 million new cancer cases diagnosed each year.
• Of all new cancer diagnoses, childhood cancers account for approximately 1% of them.
• Approximately 70% of cancer deaths worldwide occur in low- and middle-income countries.
• The largest preventable cause of cancer is tobacco.
• Tobacco accounts for 80% of all lung cancer deaths and 30% of all cancer deaths.
• Approximately 67% of Americans diagnosed with cancer will survive for 5 years or more.
• High body mass index, low vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, and tobacco and alcohol use are the leading causes of preventable cancers.

Observing National Stand Up To Cancer Day

This holiday can be observed by watching the Stand Up To Cancer telecast and donating funds to the cause. You can also spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #NationalStandUpToCancer or #StandUpToCancer.

Another way to observe this holiday is by becoming a cancer advocate and standing up for people who may not be able to speak for themselves.