Gwyneth Paltrow - Gwyneth Paltrow's Emotional Speech At Cancer Event Launch

Gwyneth Paltrow choked back tears as she made an emotional speech at the launch of the U.K. version of charity initiative Stand Up To Cancer on Monday (24Sep12).

The Shakespeare in Love star brought her health crusade to the U.K. capital with the launch of her fundraising telethon ahead of a week-long campaign starting on 19 October (12).

The Hollywood actress took over the production reins of the annual U.S. Stand Up to Cancer event from late movie producer Laura Ziskin, who died of the disease last year (11), and she is backing the twin event in London.

Working in conjunction with Cancer Research Uk, bosses at Tv network Channel 4 will broadcast a fundraising telethon featuring a host of starts next month (Oct12).

Speaking at the event's launch in London on Monday, Paltrow, whose father Bruce Paltrow died from cancer in 2002, said, "Cancer claims the lives of eight million men, women and children worldwide every year. I lost my father in 2002 and I am all too aware of the impact this disease has on a family.

"Stand Up to Cancer is a grassroots movement to raise funds for cancer research. On October 19 the fight against cancer comes to town. We have the power to make cancer powerless and perhaps even end it but it takes research and that requires funding.

"Cancer has taken some of the best among us and it is time for us all to stand up and fight back. I am so proud to be standing up to cancer for my dad."