Bradley Cooper to produce Stand Up To Cancer telecast

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Bradley Cooper is throwing his weight behind a Stand Up To Cancer telecast, serving as executive producer for the fundraiser airing in September.

The actor said Thursday that he's proud to be part of Stand Up To Cancer's effort to get lifesaving treatment to patients more quickly through collaborative research. He lost his father to lung cancer in 2011.

"No one is ever fully prepared to deal with the overwhelming and complex journey that comes with a cancer diagnosis," Cooper said in a statement. "Stand Up To Cancer works tirelessly to support those at the forefront of the fight against cancer."

The hourlong, commercial-free fundraiser will air Sept. 9 on 45-plus broadcast networks and cable channels in the U.S. and Canada, with celebrities and performers to be announced.

The Done and Dusted production company will join Cooper as an executive producer.

The biennial event has drawn stars including Tom Hanks and Common. Since Stand Up to Cancer was launched in 2008, it has raised more than $370 million in pledges for research, the Entertainment Industry Foundation program said.

"Stand Up To Cancer has come so far since 2008," said Katie Couric, one of its co-founders. "This effort has shown the true power of teamwork."

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Online:

http://www.standup2cancer.org