(L to R.) Cameron Mathison, Eric Braeden, Erika Slezak and Kim Zimmer.
Stand Up To Cancer will present a new fundraising livestream event on May 16 – Daytime Stands Up: A Benefit for Stand Up To Cancer … We All Have a Story. The three-hour benefit will feature stars past and present from soaps Bold and Beautiful, Days of our Lives, General Hospital and Young and Restless, as well as soaps that are no longer on the air. There will be musical performances, and stories of emotional on- and off-screen experiences with cancer. There will also be special celebrity guests who will also join the effort to encourage viewers to support urgently needed research and new cancer treatments.
Daytime Stands Up will stream live between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. PT on Alan Locher and Michael Fairman’s YouTube channels, The Locher Room and Michael Fairman Channel; as well as StandUpToCancer.org/DaytimeStandsUp.
“Daytime television invites viewers into the private lives of characters, often bringing important issues like cancer screenings into living rooms and around water coolers. Soaps debuted the first cancer storyline in 1962 – years before the topic was discussed in the mainstream, and it left an indelible impact: a whole generation of women who scheduled a potentially life-saving Pap smear for the first time,” said Daytime Stands Up host Alan Locher.
“For so many viewers, this brought the issue front and center,” added co-host Michael Fairman. “Today, it’s become almost impossible to avoid; but there is hope with cancer research, thanks to organizations like Stand Up To Cancer.”
The livestream event will feature:
- Cancer survivorship stories from GH’s Cameron Mathison and Y&R’s Colleen Zenk, who will reflect on the impact of publicly sharing their diagnoses; and 2024 Daytime Emmy nominee Eric Braeden, who shares his cancer journey as well his memories of beloved Y&R co-star Meg Bennett, who passed from cancer April 11; and more.
- Moving tributes to soap stars who’ve lost their cancer battles, including:
- Daytime icon Jackie Zeman, who played nurse Bobbie Spencer on GH for 45 years, shared by daughters Cassidy MacLeod and Lacey Gorden
- Elizabeth Hubbard who played the iconic Lucinda Walsh on As the World Turns and Dr. Althea Davis onThe Doctors, shared by her on-screen daughter Martha Byrne and real-life son Jeremy Bennett
- Two-time Emmy Award-winner Jerry verDorn (Guiding Light / One Life to Live), shared by his widow Beth verDorn and his on-screen wife on GL, friend and co-star Liz Keifer
- Andrea Evans, who played Tina Lord Roberts on OLTL, shared by her husband Stephen G. Rodriguez and daughter Kylie Rodriguez
- Kamar de los Reyes shared by his OLTL co-stars Michael Easton (GH) Trevor St. John (Y&R)
- Poignant reflections from actors who have portrayed breast cancer survivors, including Sharon Case and Eileen Davidson from Y&R; Erika Slezak from OLTL; Tina Sloan and Kim Zimmer from GL and more.
Additional talent slated to participate in the virtual benefit include (subject to change): Eddie and Kristen Alderson (OLTL); Elia Cantu (DAYS); The Day Players, featuring DAYS castmates Carson Boatman, Brandon Barash, Wally Kurth (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee), Eric Martsolf (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee); Kassie DePaiva (OLTL); Don Diamont (B&B); Linsey Godfrey (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee, DAYS); Leo Howard (DAYS); Lesli Kay (B&B); Eden McCoy (GH); Kin Shriner (GH); Michelle Stafford (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee, Y&R).
In support of the event, SU2C will also be launching a 10-day eBay silent auction, from May 16 through 26, for fans to bid on items, including a meet-and-greet experience with the cast of NBC’s Days of Our Lives; an autographed script from the cast of Young and Restless and signed merchandise from the Bold and Beautiful cast; a 1:1 video call with General Hospital’s Cynthia Watros, Maura West and Laura Wright, and with daytime legends Robert Newman, Vincent Irizarry, Colleen Zenk, and more. Full details will be shared the evening of May 16, on Stand Up To Cancer’s website.
