Tim McGraw Joins New Stand Up to Cancer Campaign: 'I Want to Do Everything I Can'

Tim McGraw is starring in a new Stand Up to Cancer campaign, this time in partnership with American Airlines. The 52-year-old has been an ambassador for Stand Up to Cancer for years, thanks in part to the unfortunate personal connection he has to the disease, including losing his own father, professional baseball player Tug McGraw, to cancer in 2004.

"I think the first Stand Up to Cancer I did was in 2012," McGraw told PEOPLE. "That was a long time ago. Time goes by really fast. Lots of members in my family – nobody has not been touched by cancer, very few people. Of course, my dad died at 59 years old, of a glioblastoma, so that's a big reason why I'm here. But my mom had cancer when I was younger, a couple aunts had breast cancer.

"So it's been a part of my family," he added. "I want to do everything I can to find a cure, and find a way for people to become long-term survivors."

As part of the new Stand Up to Cancer campaign, the organization is teaming up with American Airlines, allowing people the opportunity to add a family member or friend's name to one of its planes in honor of those who are cancer survivors, currently battling the disease or have died from cancer.

For a donation of at least $25 to Stand Up to Cancer throughout the month of July, people can write someone's name on the American Airlines Airbus A321, which will begin flying this fall. 100 percent of donations will support Up to Cancer's collaborative cancer research programs.

"Every family in America has a cancer story, my own family included. Too many of us have lost our parents, children, spouses and friends to this terrible disease," McGraw said in a statement. "I've been so touched by the stories of the American Airlines team members I've met over the past month and I'm honored to lend my voice to this campaign to help create a world where all cancer patients can become long-term survivors and have more time with the people they love."

The husband of Faith Hill places a high priority on his own health also, after overcoming alcoholism, to be more present in the lives of his three children.

"Here's the truth of it — I was not taking care of myself. I was leaning on the success that I've had," he told Entertainment Tonight. "My family is counting on me. I want to see my kids grow up, I want to be able to spend time with my grandkids. I want to take them diving and spearfishing, all those things that I want to do with my grandkids."

For more information, or to make a donation, visit Stand Up to Cancer's website.

Photo Credit: Getty images / Rich Fury