MDA Telethon's $65 Million Breaks Record

Despite an uncertain economy and Hurricane Gustav pounding the Gulf Coast, contributions and pledges to the 43rd annual Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon totaled a recordbreaking $65,031,393 - $1.2 million more than last year.

These contributions will enable the Muscular Dystrophy Association to fund research to find treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy and related diseases.

Funds also support hundreds of MDA medical clinics; send thousands of children to MDA summer camp; and provide assistance with the purchase of equipment such as wheelchairs and leg braces.

MDA National Chairman and Telethon star Jerry Lewis said he is grateful for the outpouring of support from Telethon viewers.

"Each year I tell myself, 'This has got to be it. There's no way we can do better.' Then, the following year, I'm astounded to see that generosity driven by love and compassion has a greater capacity than I thought possible," Lewis said. "I am awed and humbled by this response."

For the third year, the 21 ½-hour event originated from the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas. The show was broadcast to nearly 40 million viewers by some 180 television stations that comprise MDA's "Love Network." Millions more worldwide had access to the Telethon at www.mda.org via RealNetworks.

Veteran showman, MDA Board member and Telethon anchor Ed McMahon made his 42nd Telethon appearance.

Helping co-host the show this year were Tom Bergeron, host of "Dancing with the Stars" and "America's Funniest Home Videos;" Jann Carl of "Entertainment Tonight;" "Days of Our Lives" star and host of "Biggest Loser" Alison Sweeney; Nancy O'Dell, host of the popular newsmagazine show "Access Hollywood" and the Master of Malaprop, comedian Norm Crosby. Also co-hosting were recording artists Ace Young, who serves as MDA Celebrity Ambassador, and Billy Gilman, MDA National Youth Chairman.

The Telethon schedule included live interviews with families sharing their experiences living with a muscle-wasting disease and their hopes for the future. Other guests described the exciting progress being made in medical research to fight those diseases.

Viewers were entertained throughout the legendary extravaganza by a top-notch array of singers, dancers, musicians and comedians. Included in the lineup this year were Celine Dion, 3 Doors Down, Kid Rock, Sugarland, Ludacris, Tracy Lawrence, Menudo, Will Downing, Billy Bob Thornton, Jimmy Wayne, Lance Burton, Bo Bice, George Wallace, Gloria Gaynor, Joshua Bell, Maureen McGovern, Pat Monahan of Train, Ronn Lucas, Starship, Terry Fator, Tony Orlando and many more.

A highlight of the show was the China's Disabled People's Performing Arts Troupe, which performed selections from "My Dream," a musical dance performance created for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The troupe brought 27 of its members, each of whom have vision, hearing or physical disabilities, from China to Las Vegas just for the Telethon.

MDA is a national voluntary health agency working to defeat muscular dystrophy and related diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive services and far-reaching professional and public health education.

MDA's programs are funded almost entirely by individual private contributors.