Look To The Stars News: Cancer Research UK

Rupert Grint And Leona Lewis Honor Young Cancer Patients

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:20:00 +0000

The courage of British children who have faced cancer is to be recognized with a unique award backed by celebrities including rapper Tinie Tempah, pop sensation Leona Lewis, Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, children’s author Jacqueline Wilson and top sporting personalities Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis and footballer Jack Wilshere.

Cancer Research UK this week launched its annual Little Star Awards, in partnership with brands-for-less retailer, TK Maxx.

“I’m incredibly proud to be supporting Cancer Research UK’s Little Star Awards once again this year,” said Leona Lewis. "Every child diagnosed with cancer goes through so much and it is brilliant to be able to recognize their bravery and brighten their lives in this way.

Have Breakfast With Richard Branson Before Charity Swim

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Imagine you could have breakfast with the one and only Sir Richard Branson. Just you and him chatting over a cup of tea and a bacon roll. What would you ask? What have you always wanted to know about one of the most famous men in the world?

Well, in aid of Cancer Research UK, you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit down and have a chinwag with the boss of the Virgin Group.

Richard Branson And Celebrity Friends To Swim For Charity

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Sir Richard Branson and Ronan Keating are taking on the ultimate challenge. They’re captaining a team to swim the grueling waters of the Irish Sea and raise £1million!

Richard Branson To Swim The Irish Sea In Celebrity Charity Challenge

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Richard Branson will join Ronan Keating in the water when they swim the Irish Sea in a new celebrity charity challenge.

The celebrities are captaining a team to swim the Irish Sea, set a new Guinness World Record, and raise £1million!

“The Swim” is a celebrity-led challenge to cross the Irish Sea from Dublin to Holyhead in the longest ever relay swim. Almost three times the length of the English Channel, this 56-mile swim hopes to raise £1 million for the Marie Keating Foundation and Cancer Research UK’s lifesaving work. The Swim team will be made up of 10 people, including Keating, Branson, and other celebrities to be revealed soon.

The Jade Goody Effect: Research Into Celebrity Charity Support

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Researchers at Bath Spa University are teaming up with a national cancer charity to investigate how young women responded to the media coverage of Jade Goody’s death from cervical cancer.

Jade Goody shot to fame after appearing as a contestant on the Channel 4 reality TV show Big Brother. She became even more of a celebrity after being diagnosed with cervical cancer and marrying her fiance shortly before she died from the disease in March 2009.

At the time the charity Cancer Research UK praised Jade for her work to raise awareness, in her final months, of the importance of cervical screening. Even the then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, said he was deeply saddened by her death.

Big Stars Award Little Stars To Children With Cancer

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:30:00 +0000

The courage of British children who have faced cancer is to be recognized with a unique award backed by celebrities including Rihanna, Leona Lewis, the Jonas Brothers and footballers Ryan Giggs and Cesc Fabregas.

Cancer Research UK has launched its annual Little Star Awards, in partnership with labels-for-less retailer, TK Maxx. Relatives and friends of young cancer patients or survivors from across the UK are being urged to nominate them now for special recognition in the run up to Christmas. All Little Stars receive a special trophy, £50 TK Maxx gift card and certificate signed by their favourite celebrities.

“The children that the Little Star awards celebrate really are special,” said Rihanna. “They’ve been through so much at such a young age and the way they cope with it is a real inspiration to me. I’m so honoured to be able to support this campaign. I know that incredible advances have been made in treatments for children’s cancer, but we still need to do more to raise awareness and improve survival even more.”

Coronation Street Stars Busy With Charity Appeals

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0000

British soap opera Coronation Street celebrates its 50th anniversary in December, and to celebrate, the makers of the show have launched a special charity appeal.

“During 50 years of storylines, Coronation Street has covered an enormous range of social issues,” says the show’s executive producer Kieran Roberts. "As part of our 50th anniversary activities, the cast and crew felt it was important to give something back in the form of an official appeal.

“The three charities nominated carry out extraordinary work and we want to support them as much as possible over our anniversary months. It would be fantastic to see our viewers join in wherever they can – so that our anniversary is not just a wonderful celebration, but also makes a difference”.

Big Stars Honor The Little Stars For Charity

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:00:00 +0000

A host of British celebrities gathered at London Zoo last week to bring a bit of joy to sick children at Cancer Research UK’s Little Star Awards.

The Little Star Awards celebrate the courage of all children who have been diagnosed with cancer. Celebrities who attended include: X Factor finalist Stacey Solomon; former EastEnders star Kara Tointon; winner of Sky 1’s ‘Got to Dance’ Akai, and Blue Peter presenters past and present Konnie Huq and Andy Akinwolere.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun With Charity Single

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:00:00 +0000

X Factor star Lucie Jones is aiding Cancer Research UK through proceeds raised from the re-recording of Cyndi Lauper’s track “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”

A total of 20 stars – including former Atomic Kitten Liz McClarnon, glamour model Danielle Lloyd and former “EastEnders” actress Lucy Benjamin – raised their voices to bring awareness to breast cancer. Hundreds of local UK women affected by cancer are also featured on the track.

The popular single was originally released in 1984 and was a huge hit for Lauper. Music star Sonique is supporting the re-recording. Her participation marks her first time performing since having her own cancer battle last June.

Robert Plant To Sing At Abbey Road For Charity

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:30:00 +0000

Led Zeppelin legend Robert Plant will meet and greet fans at a special gig to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

On 25th February Cancer Research UK’s Sound & Vision event will take place at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, celebrating rock, pop, the people who make it and the images it inspires. The event will feature champagne and canapés, access to the recording studios where The Beatles recorded, a stunning exhibition and auction of images featuring iconic musicians by famous photographers, the opportunity to purchase a piece of music history in a live auction, live performances, and the chance to rub shoulders with celebrity guests.

Plant will take to the stage with American singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman and the London Oriana Choir. David Gray and other artists will also perform, and an internet auction has been launched featuring instruments signed by bands such as the Kaiser Chiefs, items signed by Eric Clapton, lyrics signed by Tori Amos and much more. The auction can be accessed here.

Guests Announced For UK A Not So Silent Night Concert

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Boy George, Dawn French, Guy Garvey, Jennifer Saunders and The Thompsons (Teddy, Kami, Linda) are just a few of the special guests and friends announced for the hotly anticipated Wainwright/McGarrigle Family Christmas concert, ‘A Not So Silent Night’ at the Royal Albert Hall, December 9th. It is the first time the show will take place in the UK.

This special seasonal Royal Albert Hall show will be headlined by Rufus and Martha Wainwright, and will also include performances by Ed Harcourt, International soprano and ‘Prima Donna’ star Janis Kelly, Jenni Muldaur plus human beatbox Shlomo.

In the US, Christmas has practically become synonymous with the bi-annual Wainwright/McGarrigle Carnegie Hall shows. The New York Times has called the show an “enactment of a family gathering: motley, full of overlapping agendas, a little sentimental, a little fractious but harmonious in the end.”

Celebrities Donate Handbags To Charity Auction

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

The annual Handbag Amnesty Celebrity Auction to raise money for Cancer Research UK is on now, giving you the chance to bid on some unique handbags donated by some of today’s hottest stars.

Going under the hammer are bags belonging to Paris Hilton, Rachel Weisz, Rachel Bilson, Heidi Klum, Scarlett Johansson, Peaches Geldof and Alesha Dixon, all of whom have given up a favourite handbag from their personal collection. Even Alexander McQueen has donated.

All profits will go to Cancer Research UK – the largest single funder of breast cancer research in the UK – which spent £44million on groundbreaking research last year alone.

Katie Price Runs For Cancer Research

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0000

British glamour model Katie Price took part in a 10 kilometre charity run during the weekend.

Price was spotted running with new boyfriend Alex Reid in the fundraising event for Cancer Research UK in Brighton.

“Everyone knows someone who is affected by cancer so I wanted to do my bit to help the lifesaving work of Cancer Research UK,” she said. “I’ve been getting fit and running for several months and the Brighton and Hove Run 10km event is on my doorstep, so it seemed the perfect opportunity to take part. The sight of nearly 2,000 people all running together to help cure cancer is inspiring and I am proud to be part of it.”

Paris Hilton Donates Handbag To Charity Initiative

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Paris Hilton is the latest international celebrity to donate a designer handbag to the second annual Handbag Amnesty, a partnership between handbag.com, the home of fashion, beauty, hair and celebrity and Cancer Research UK.

Handbag Amnesty 2009, part of handbag.com’s dedicated Handbag Month, will take place throughout September, culminating in an exclusive handbag.com celebrity handbag auction from 2nd – 11th October, to tie in with breast cancer awareness month.

LTTS Exclusive: An Interview With Liz McClarnon

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:36:00 +0000

Liz McClarnon, best known as a member of Atomic Kitten, is also a very busy philanthropist, and Look To The Stars is offering fans the chance to bid on the T-shirt she wore during her recent charity run in London.

Between working on her solo career and making TV appearances – she recently won Celebrity Master Chef – Liz is still carving out time to support good causes.

I spent the day with Liz and her mother, Janet, while she was participating in Race for Life, joined by Belta Music teammates Jaime Jay and Kayney.

Rufus Wainwright To Headline A Not So Silent Night

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:30:00 +0000

Singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright will join his sister Martha Wainwright, Kate McGarrigle, family & friends for a charity show in London in December called A Not So Silent Night.

This special show will take place at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England on Wednesday, December 9th.

A limited number of exclusive A Not So Silent Night VIP Packages include excellent seats for the concert, entry to an intimate post-show cocktail with the performers, and unique gift bags are available. These packages can be obtained by making a donation of $1,000 CAD, $750 USD, or £500 GPB to benefit cancer research in Canada and the UK through the Kate McGarrigle Fund and Cancer Research UK.

Russell Crowe Continues Generous Streak

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:00:00 +0000

New Zealand-born actor Russell Crowe took a break from filming Robin Hood last week to visit a British charity shop and donate £1,000.

The 45-year-old had earlier shown his generosity when he gave a co-worker on his current film money to buy a new car after hers was destroyed. Now he took the time to visit a Cancer Research UK and talk to staff.

“We couldn’t believe it when Russell Crowe came in and gave us the money,” said a staff member. “We knew he was in the area and we were all hoping to see him, but we never thought we would get quite so close to him. We were all a bit star-struck, but it was lovely to meet him, and he stopped and took the time to speak to us.”

Race For Life Raises Funds For Cancer Research

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Look To The Stars writer Richard Barker recently took part in a special charity event in the UK and filed this report:

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life is the largest women-only fundraising event in the UK. The race started in 2004 and has raised millions of pounds!

Women take part in celebration of surviving a cancer experience. Others take part in memory of a loved one or to give hope to a cancer-free future. Every pound raised in sponsorship goes towards Cancer Research’s vital work. This includes funding the work of over 4,500 scientists, doctors and nurses who are dedicated to fighting and beating Cancer.

Rod Stewart To Attend Charity Busking Show

Wed, 27 May 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Rod Stewart will attend a special busking show on board the HMS Belfast to launch this year’s Busking Cancer event.

The HMS Belfast is permanently moored on the banks of the River Thames near Tower Bridge in London. The concert will see Madness frontman Suggs join a host of performers on stage in support of the initiative, which will see street performers all over Britain donating their takings to Cancer Research UK.

“When it comes to busking, I’m your man,” said Stewart, who survived thyroid cancer. “That’s how I started in the early 60s on the streets of Paris. So the idea of Busking Cancer has my support. It’s what music is all about just getting out there and singing or playing for the sheer joy of it. And if you can earn a few quid for Cancer Research UK – a few quid that might just help to save someone’s life – what could be better?”

Celebrities Run For Charity In London Marathon

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Tens of thousands of people pulled on their running shoes and sweated their way through the annual London marathon yesterday, including a number of celebrities who were competing for charity.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay was one of many who lined up at the start for his 10th time at the event. He ran once again for the Scottish Spina Bifida Association, an organization that supports, listens to and helps children, adults and families with spina bifida, hydrocephalus and related conditions.

“It’s time for a celebration,” he said. “We’re fighting a global credit crunch, and in terms of coming out and having fun, it costs nothing to come and watch.”

Rod Stewart Supports Charity Busking

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Rod Stewart is encouraging performers to take to the streets and raise money for a cancer research charity.

The 64-year-old has been made a patron of Cancer Research UK’s Busking Cancer 2009, an event that will take place in the UK from June 20-27.

“When it comes to busking, I’m your man,” he said. “That’s how I started in the early 60s on the streets of Paris. So the idea of Busking Cancer has my support. It’s what music is all about just getting out there and singing or playing for the sheer joy of it. And if you can earn a few quid for Cancer Research UK – a few quid that might just help to save someone’s life – what could be better?”

David Beckham Gives The Shirt Off His Back To Cancer Charity

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Football superstar David Beckham has donated the shirt in which he made his record-equaling 108th England cap to charity.

The number 17 shirt will be auctioned on behalf of The Bobby Moore Fund, a fund set up in association with Cancer Research UK to raise money for research into bowel cancer in memory of footballer Bobby Moore, who lost his battle to the disease in 1993.

“It was a very, very generous gesture,” Stephanie Moore – Bobby’s widow – told BBC Radio 5 in the UK. “That shirt is of great emotional value to David. It was very kind and generous of him to donate it to the charity so we can auction it to raise funds for dedicated bowel cancer research – the disease that killed Bobby so young.”

Paul Weller To Headline Cancer Research Gig

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Musician Paul Weller will play a special charity gig in London later this month.

The former frontman of The Jam and Style Council will join Lemar and singer songwriter Paulo Nutini at Cancer Research UK’s ‘Sound and Vision’ event at London’s Abbey Road studios on February 26.

“I’m proud to be associated with this event and to be supporting Cancer Research UK’s amazing work,” said Weller.

Visit Abbey Road Studios To Benefit Cancer Research

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Cancer Research UK has announced February 26 as the date of their annual Sound & Vision event at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Although full details have yet to be released, the event will feature champagne and canapés, access to the recording studios where The Beatles recorded, a stunning exhibition and auction of images featuring iconic musicians by famous photographers, the opportunity to purchase a piece of music history in a live auction, live performances, and the chance to rub shoulders with celebrity guests.

Patrons of the event include legendary Beatles producer George Martin and Whispering Bob Harris. Last year’s event raised over £160,000 for vital cancer research with live performances by Beverley Knight, 10cc and The Brand New Heavies and auction items such as a one-off Rickenbacker guitar designed and signed by R.E.M’s Peter Buck and handwritten lyrics from Bryan Ferry. Photos from the event can be viewed here.

Terry Pratchett Knighted, Robert Plant Becomes A Commander

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Several of Britain’s most charitable celebrities were honored by the Queen in her New Years Honors List yesterday.

Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to music. Plant reformed the 70s rockers for a one-off gig in London in 2007 to benefit the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund, which provides students with annual scholarships to universities in the U.S, U.K. and Turkey. The organization was established by the late Ahmed Ertegun, co-founder of Atlantic Records.

“During the Zeppelin years, Ahmed Ertegun was a major foundation of solidarity and accord,” said Plant, now 60. “This performance stands alone as our tribute to the work and the life of our long-standing friend.”