ESPN is on a mission to fight cancer.

The sports network and its partners had a new mission in mind for its 14th annual V Week — addressing inequities in communities of color with a focus on the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund which encourages cutting-edge research for African Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities suffering from cancer.

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Thanks to sports leagues, employees, the corporate community, and more donations from sports fans than ever before, ESPN’s 14th annual V Week raised more than $6.7 million for the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

“During this year’s V Week, we highlighted the fact that people of color are disproportionately affected by cancer,” said vice president of ESPN Corporate Citizenship, Kevin Martinez. “But thanks to the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund and new initiatives with Alpha Phi Alpha and our first-ever Equity in Health panel, I am hopeful and optimistic that we are working towards improving the health outcomes for minority communities.”

With donations from individuals up by 55 percent, collectively people pledged more than $1.5 million.

“ESPN continues to be an exceptional partner in the fight against cancer,” said Shane Jacobson, CEO of the V Foundation. “We are proud to work alongside this incredible team to address the problem of disparities. Our goal is to make a meaningful impact against one of the most urgent cancer challenges our nation is facing and we are grateful for ESPN’s leadership and support.”

Although V Week is in its 14th consecutive year, ESPN was able to significantly engage its new partners through awareness-building campaigns and promotions that educated fans on the importance of cancer research specifically in support of communities of color.

New initiatives included “Give and Go” with the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., The Stuart Scott Initiative, UFC’s Fight Like Hell Night, and more.

For more on the V Foundation’s Cancer Research, click here.

V Foundation

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