On Thursday, May 16, a cavalcade of daytime greats from soaps past and present will unite for a first-of-its-kind livestream event: Daytime Stands Up: A Benefit for Stand Up To Cancer…We All Have a Story.
Daytime Stands Up To Cancer
The three-hour fundraising event — made possible through a collaboration between Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) and leading daytime community voices Alan Locher and Michael Fairman — will feature musical performances and stories of emotional on – and off-screen experiences with cancer. Special celebrity guests will also join the effort to encourage viewers to support urgently needed research and new cancer treatments.
“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 Locher.
“For so many viewers, this brought the issue front and center,” added 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 live stream event is set to feature:
- Cancer survivorship stories from General Hospital’s Cameron Mathison and The Young and the Restless’ 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 The Young and the Restless 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 General Hospital 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 on The 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 widow Beth verDorn and his on-screen wife on Guiding Light, friend and co-star Liz Keifer
- Andrea Evans, who played Tina Lord Roberts on One Life to Live, shared by her husband Stephen G. Rodriguez and daughter Kylie Rodriguez
- Kamar de los Reyes shared by his One Life to Live co-stars Michael Easton (General Hospital), and Trevor St. John (The Young and the Restless)
- Poignant reflections from actors who have portrayed breast cancer survivors, including Sharon Case and Eileen Davidson from The Young and the Restless; Erika Slezak from One Life to Live; Tina Sloan and Kim Zimmer from Guiding Light and more.
Additional talent slated to participate in the virtual benefit include (subject to change): Eddie and Kristen Alderson (One Life to Live); Elia Cantu (Days of Our Lives); The Day Players, featuring Days of Our Lives castmates Carson Boatman, Brandon Barash, Wally Kurth (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee), Eric Martsolf (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee); Kassie DePaiva (One Life to Live); Don Diamont (The Bold and the Beautiful); Linsey Godfrey (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee, Days of Our Lives); Leo Howard (Days of Our Lives); Lesli Kay (The Bold and the Beautiful); Eden McCoy (General Hospital); Kin Shriner (General Hospital); and Michelle Stafford(2024 Daytime Emmy nominee, The Young and the Restless).
SU2C Co-Founder Sue Schwartz, SU2C President and CEO Julian Adams, Ph.D., and SU2C Health Equity Committee Member Elizabeth Jaffee, M.D., will also be on hand to speak to the importance of early detection, exciting scientific breakthroughs, and the ongoing work yet to be done to make screenings and treatment equitable for all.
In support of the event, SU2C will be launching a 10-day eBay silent auction, from May 16 through 26, for soap opera fans to bid on a wide range of items, including a meet-and-greet experience with the cast of NBC’s Days of Our Lives; an autographed script from the cast of CBS’s The Young and the Restless and signed merch from CBS’s The Bold and the 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.
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/
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