SOUTH WEST men, women and children are being urged to join forces and Stand Up To Cancer.

A joint fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4, Stand Up To Cancer aims to raise money to fund vital research which will get new and better treatments to cancer patients faster.

By joining Stand Up To Cancer, supporters in the region will be uniting with doctors, nurses, scientists and celebrities to generate funds, raise awareness and bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

Stand Up To Cancer is launching now and will build over the next few months as more and more people join the fight.

It will culminate in a live TV fundraiser on Friday 17 October as an army of millions tune in to Channel 4 for a live show hosted by Davina McCall, Alan Carr and Dr Christian Jessen. Stand Up To Cancer took place for the first time in the UK in 2012 and raised over £8 million for ground-breaking research.

This year, there are many ways to get involved and help save lives. Cancer Research UK is urging everyone in the South West to stand up and do something to help raise money at work, school or at home. A free fundraising kit is available to help spark creative ideas and provide support tools.

Men, women and children can register now to take part in the first ever March On Cancer events which are taking place in 15 cities across the UK, simultaneously around the UK on Saturday, 11 October.

The locations are include Newcastle, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, Birmingham, London, Norwich, Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton, Portsmouth, Cambridge and Plymouth. Karen Davis, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for the South West, said: “Thanks to the incredible progress that’s been made in the last 40 years, more people are surviving cancer than ever before.

“In the 1970s, less than a quarter of people with cancer survived. But over the last 40 years, survival has doubled – today half will survive. But we can’t afford to stand still. Stand Up To Cancer is our chance to make history and we hope everyone across the South West will join us.”

“This is the first year we are holding our new March On Cancer events, which are open to everyone - adults and children.

People across the region can also show their support for the campaign in style as a fun and fashionable range of clothing and accessories for men, women, children and dogs is available online now at standuptocancer.org.uk

It includes T-shirts (from £10) onesies in sizes for adults (£25) and children (£15) watches in bold bright colours (£5.99), pin badges (£1), travel mugs (£4.99), snapback caps (£8) festival wristbands (99p); and, for man’s best friend, a must-have dog T-shirt with the words ‘Sit, Stay and Stand Up To Cancer’ (£8).

Stand Up To Cancer was supported by stars from TV, film, fashion and music when it took place in the UK in 2012, including Gwyneth Paltrow , Samuel L Jackson, Bradley Cooper, Leona Lewis, Cheryl Cole, Keith Lemon, Heidi Klum, Jeremy Piven, Heston Blumenthal, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, Alesha Dixon, Ashley Walters, Russell Tovey, Bear Grylls, Jack Whitehall, Tom Felton, Warwick Davis, Jimmy Carr, Derren Brown, Martin Freeman, Dawn Porter, Micky Flanagan, Stephen Graham, Max Beesley and Jonathan Ross.