Photos: Celebrities Turn Out for Stand Up To Cancer

Celebrities whose lives have been touched by a cancer diagnosis — either their own or a close family member or friend — came together on Friday night for the fifth Stand Up To Cancer televised event to raise money for a cure.

Broadcast live from The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, those participating included Bradley Cooper, Katie Couric, Tom Hanks, Kathy Bates, Shannen Doherty, Emma Stone, Mayim Bialik, Kristen Wiig and Matt Bomer.

During the fundraiser, Couric, who is a co-founder of SU2C and lost her first husband Jay Monahan to colon cancer in 1998, said, “It’s such a complicated disease because it’s different in every single biology. Some response rates are so short-lived because cancer is so intensely wily and it can outwit its fiercest opponent. So we just have to keep figuring out ways to say, ‘Oh, no you don’t,’ to cancer.”

Bates, who beat ovarian cancer in 2003 and breast cancer in 2012, also spoke, saying, “”I wouldn’t be standing here tonight if it wasn’t for the progress research has made in recent decades.”

Representing politics, Vice President Joe Biden, who lost his son Beau to brain cancer in May 2015, flew into Los Angeles and appeared on the televised event.

“He was full of hope up to the end,” Biden said. “He learned what we’re learning tonight, we’re at a tipping point in the fight against cancer … We are on the cusp of ending cancer as we know it.”

Celine Dion, who lost her husband René Angélil after a 20-year battle with cancer, closed the night by premiering her song “Recovering,” written by P!nk, which was a tribute to Angélil.

Before performing, she said, “I miss René every day, and the loss will now be a part of my life.”

To date, SU2C has raised more than $370 million in donations for cancer research. The total from this Friday’s event has not yet been announced as the program continues to stream on Hulu and additional donations will be taken this weekend.