Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) has announced that its ninth biennial roadblock televised fundraising special will air on Friday, Aug. 15, from Nashville, bringing together country music stars, celebrities, athletes, cancer researchers and survivors for a powerful evening of inspiration and celebration.
This marks the first time the telecast will be broadcast from Nashville, and it will take place at The Pinnacle, a new premier event venue in the heart of Music City. Airing at 7 p.m. CT, the one-hour special continues SU2C’s 17-year mission to fund cancer research and save lives.
With the move to Nashville, SU2C will harness the city’s creative energy and musical heritage to bring a new dimension and excitement to this year’s show. The telecast will feature artists from country and other musical genres coming together in unique collaborations, an artistic reflection of SU2C’s commitment to scientific teamwork where researchers unite to accelerate progress.
Music icon Dolly Parton will appear in the special, with GRAMMY Award-winning artist Sheryl Crowserving as host. Additional performers and celebrity participants will be revealed in the weeks ahead.
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center is welcoming SU2C to Nashville.
“We are thrilled that Stand Up To Cancer will be bringing this special event to Nashville, and we welcome them to our city,” said Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, Benjamin F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology, professor of Medicine, and director of Vanderbilt-Ingram. “Our physicians, researchers and patients are familiar with the exceptional work of this organization that funds research to advance cancer treatments, which ultimately saves lives.
“This will be an extraordinary evening featuring some of Nashville’s most talented entertainers, and we hope everyone will join us for the telecast that will showcase not only our great city, but also the amazing research that has emanated from SU2C.”
As a leading academic medical center with deep roots in the region, Vanderbilt-Ingram shares SU2C’s commitment to advancing cancer research and improving patient outcomes.
“The goal of Stand Up To Cancer has always been about working collaboratively to push cancer research forward so we could help patients as quickly as possible,” said Katie Couric, SU2C co-founder. “Nearly two decades later, it’s incredibly gratifying and inspiring to see the impact of this research. Bringing the show to Nashville will infuse new energy and excitement into our mission. There’s still so much work to do and every dollar makes a difference — especially to the families who are counting on novel approaches and therapies as they face the challenges that often accompany a cancer diagnosis.”
The biennial special will be carried across more than 30 participating media platforms, including all four major U.S. broadcast networks, which are generously donating one hour of commercial-free primetime. Viewers will also be able to watch the telecast on-demand across multiple digital and streaming platforms, ensuring broad and flexible access to this one-night-only event.
Telecast viewers will hear from leading SU2C-funded researchers about recent advances and why continued support is vital in the fight against cancer. The program will also feature powerful stories from survivors who benefited from research made possible by donor contributions. From early detection to new treatment approaches, these stories reflect the real-world impact of SU2C-funded research and the hope it brings to patients and families.
Stand Up To Cancer was established in 2008 by a group of women who wanted to galvanize the entertainment community to raise awareness and funding to advance collaborative cancer research and end cancer as a leading cause of death.
Since its inception, SU2C has brought together over 3,100 top researchers from more than 210 leading institutions across 16 countries to collaborate on advancing cancer research.
SU2C-funded research has contributed to the saving of tens of thousands of lives worldwide.
To learn more about the 2025 event, visit https://standuptocancer.org. For more information visit StandUpToCancer.org, Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, and YouTube.
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