LOS ANGELES (Aug. 27, 2024) – Showing that humor can sometimes save lives, Oscar De La Hoya and Holly Sonders today announced a $50k donation towards early detection of prostate and breast cancer at Adventist White Memorial Hospital in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. The generous gift is aimed at helping people overcome the embarrassment of these life-saving exams and comes on the heels of the couple’s viral vacation video.
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. While more than 30,000 men died of the disease in 2022 alone, survival rates are near 100 percent when it is caught early through a routine examination.
“We hope that our lighthearted video brings awareness to two diseases that are not funny at all — we want to do whatever we can to help provide men and women with access they need to remain healthy for their families,” De La Hoya and Sonders said. “We want this to become less of a taboo subject in the community and spread the message that people should get checked early and annually.”
Breast cancer has long been the second most deadly cancer for women behind lung cancer. One in eight women will be diagnosed in their lifetimes and more than 40,000 women are predicted to pass away in 2024 alone from this disease.
“Oscar is a prominent philanthropist and benefactor of our hospital, “ said John Raffoul, President, Adventist Health White Memorial. “His contributions over the years have supported several vital programs and services, including the Cecilia González De La Hoya Cancer Center. This latest gift toward early cancer detection reflects his unwavering commitment to our mission of serving the underserved. We are profoundly honored by his generosity.”
These much-needed funds will support:
- Prostate and Breast Cancer screening including mobile screening, for early detection.
- Educational sessions for awareness.
- Cancer support groups.
The donation is just the latest in De La Hoya’s long history of philanthropy towards the hospital, which serves thousands of patients in the underserved communities of Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles.
The hospital’s renowned cancer center bears the name of Oscar’s mother, Cecilia Gonzalez De La Hoya, who unfortunately succumbed to breast cancer at the age of 39. Additionally, Oscar’s name sits atop the hospital labor and delivery center, and he has provided the funding for desperately needed additional chemotherapy bays in 2022.
