V Foundation’s Annual Boo-Yah Event Raises Over $1.7 Million in Fight Against Racial Disparities in Cancer Outcomes

The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a top cancer research charity, tonight hosted its second annual Boo-Yah! A Celebration of Stuart Scott event in New York City at the historic Ziegfeld Ballroom. The powerful night of programming and fundraising was presented by Disney and Bristol Myers Squibb along with platinum sponsor Hearst. The evening saw sports and science come together to make a significant impact on addressing racial disparities in cancer outcomes , raising over $1.7 million to benefit the V Foundation’s Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund. With over $1.2 million raised during last year’s inaugural event, the combined two-year total for the event is nearly $3 million.

“Stuart Scott inspired a generation of sportscasters, and now he is inspiring a generation of cancer research,” said V Foundation CEO Shane Jacobson. “Through the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund, we have awarded over $16 million in grants to fight racial disparities in cancer outcomes and support research led by scientists from underrepresented groups.”

Award-winning actor Hill Harper and ESPN anchor Stan Verrett co-hosted the celebration with members of the Scott family - sister Susan Scott and one of his daughters, Taelor Scott - in attendance as special guests. The glamorous, star-studded evening was filled with attendees who participated in a seated dinner, live auction, fund-a-need and heard from V Foundation-funded researchers Dr. Charles Rogers and Dr. Nita Lee. The fund-a-need portion of the evening included emotional messages of hope and inspiration from two cancer research advocates - three-time cancer survivor Wenora Johnson and cancer survivor Allison Rosen.

"Stuart Scott opened up avenues for sportscasters to bring more creativity to their presentations,” said Verrett. “And now, thanks to wonderful nights like this, avenues are being opened to learn more about how cancer affects underrepresented communities and what needs to be done to advance treatments for people of all backgrounds.”

The need for this support provided by the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund has never been more important. For example, African Americans have a higher overall death rate from cancer than all other racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. In fact, data shows higher cancer incidence and lower survival rates across underserved populations. The fund was established in 2015 after Stuart Scott passed away after a heroic seven-year battle with appendix cancer.

For more information about the V Foundation’s mission to accelerate Victory Over Cancer®, visit v.org.