Stand Up For A Cure Concert Series kicks off in NYC June 2

Stand Up For A Cure 2008 Concert Series continues on June 2nd with a rare performance by the famously New York-based comedian, Jerry Seinfeld at Madison Square Garden’s WaMu Theater. The private event will be hosted by Alec Baldwin and will be followed by a VIP after-party where The Bacon Brothers will perform, sponsored by Inside Sports & Entertainment Group.

New York-based non-profit, Stand Up For A Cure created the 2008 Concert Series as a year-long effort to raise funds and awareness for lung cancer research and treatment. Last February, Bon Jovi was the first to perform in the Series of exclusive, private shows in intimate settings. Seinfeld also performed previously with the organization, in October 2007, raising funds for the organization with an evening hosted by NBC's Al Roker and a performance by Country star Trisha Yearwood.

Upcoming concerts in the 2008 Series include Brian Wilson & Friends on July 11 at the Hammerstein Ballroom, a newly-added concert with the Dave Matthews Band on September 10 at Madison Square Garden and an evening with famed tenor, Andrea Bocelli in December. The Series has been made possible by sponsors such as CityView Raquet Club and private donors.

“We are thrilled at the range of superstar artists who have opted to shine a light on the need for funding and awareness this year,” says Jordan Belkin, Registered Nurse and Executive Producer of Stand Up for a Cure. “The combination of world-class entertainment, underwritten by generous corporate and private donors, and the support and interest from the public and media is a testament to what can be accomplished when public figures lend a hand to a worthy cause."

According to the National Cancer Institute, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among both men and women in the United States and it will kill more people this year than breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer combined. About 84% of all lung cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage – including smokers and nonsmokers – and only about 16% of all patients survive this disease after five years

Stand Up For a Cure focuses on research-funding, patient care and public awareness. Their relationships with some of the finest medical institutions, research institutes and government agencies allows the org to allocate funding to programs that are developing new treatments, improving existing ones and making advancements in the surgical treatment of lung cancer.

Patient care is a dire need as individuals experience the dramatic physical and emotional changes following a diagnosis. In addition to medical treatment, patients are in need of expert nursing, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, social work and end-of-life care (hospice).

The public awareness component of Stand Up For a Cure’s efforts is the motivating force behind the 2008 Concert Series. Despite grave statistics, lung cancer research and treatment continues to be gravely under-funded. One of the barriers to funding lies in the misperception that lung cancer is a disease of consequence for smokers. In reality, 60% of those newly diagnosed have never smoked or do not smoke when diagnosed. This stigma must be corrected and the public re-educated in order to justify the funding which is necessary to eradicate this insidious disease. Additionally, select shows in the Series benefit Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s lung cancer research efforts.

About Stand Up for a Cure (www.sufac.org) – Stand Up for a Cure was founded to raise awareness and funding for lung cancer research, treatment and education. Stand Up for a Cure’s relationships with some of the finest medical institutions, research institutes and government agencies allows them to direct support and funding to those programs which demonstrate the most evidence-based hope for progress. Research funding is allocated to developing new treatments and improving existing ones, advancements in the surgical treatment of lung cancer and in the laboratory where scientists investigate the genomics of the disease in an effort to cure it.

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