City of Hope is not the typical place someone might visit to make new friends. But that is what happened to actor, singer and songwriter Jesse McCartney when he stopped by the hospital in mid-2009 to shoot a video supporting a fundraising concert.

Jesse McCartney poses for photos at Concert for Hope with several young fans. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Wire Image)

McCartney was won over by 7-year-old patient Tyler Cordova, whose good humor and charm go on despite a challenging bone marrow transplantation for lymphoma. McCartney was so moved by his visit and his experiences with Tyler that he has visited again several times since to deliver gifts and hang out with patients.

McCartney was introduced to City of Hope through his participation in 2009’s Concert for Hope in Los Angeles, where he performed with artists Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato. The concert raised more than $800,000 for City of Hope.

His efforts have brought notice to the fight against cancer. McCartney and several other young film, television and music stars were honored in December 2009 for their charitable work by Variety magazine at the third annual Power of Youth event at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Calif. The event spotlights young stars who are active in philanthropic and humanitarian causes.

McCartney chose City of Hope as his featured charity and invited Tyler to the event as his personal guest.

“Bob Cavallo, [chairman of the Disney Music Group and] the head of Hollywood Records, which has been my record label for the last six years, introduced me to City of Hope. I had the chance to really study the center and all of the things that they do, especially with their pediatric programs,” McCartney said during an interview at the Power of Youth event. “I’m just proud to speak out about something I’m passionate about.”