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Basic Information about MDA
The Muscular Dystrophy Association 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 is the largest nongovernmental sponsor of muscle and nerve disease research.
More than one million Americans are affected by the diseases in MDA’s program. About 250,000 have some form of muscular dystrophy.
Included in the more than 40 diseases covered by MDA are nine forms of muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease), myasthenia gravis, spinal muscular atrophy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and others.
MDA is the first nonprofit agency to be recognized by the American Medical Association with a Lifetime Achievement Award for "significant and lasting contributions to the health and welfare of humanity."
MDA was founded in 1950 and awarded its first research grant to Dr. Ade Milhorat, a pioneer of modern muscular dystrophy research.
Financial
MDA is funded almost entirely by individual private contributions. MDA seeks no fees from those it serves.
MDA dedicates 78.4 cents of every dollar it spends directly to research, services and education.
View the MDA Annual Report online for more information.
Services
MDA sends nearly 5,000 youngsters with muscular dystrophy to accessible MDA summer camps each year, at a cost to MDA of $800 per camper. There's no charge to families.
Tens of thousands of people visit MDA's 225 clinics and 38 MDA/ALS centers every year.
MDA awards research grants to some 400 teams of scientists and physicians worldwide.
The Association also:
- helps buy and repair wheelchairs, leg braces and augmentative communication devices;
- facilitates meetings of some 300 MDA support groups;
- provides thousands of free flu vaccines to those it saves;
- conducts an ongoing public education program through its Web sites, publications, videos, seminars and media placements; and
- sponsors professional education programs for clinicians.
Community Programs
MDA’s 246 local offices across the country are a valuable support system, providing practical information and essential services for people with neuromuscular diseases.
The MDA Art Collection was established in 1992 to focus attention on the creative abilities of individuals with disabilities. The collection includes some 350 works by adult artists and children, all of whom are affected by the diseases in the Association’s program.
MDA’s National Task Force on Public Awareness advises the Association about issues of interest and importance to people with disabilities. The group consists of adults who are leaders in their communities and are affected by diseases in MDA's program.
Entertainer Jerry Lewis serves as MDA National Chairman and star of the MDA Labor Day Telethon.
Popular singer Billy Gilman is MDA’s National Youth Chairman, encouraging the efforts of teens and young adults who help MDA.
Abbey Umali, 9, of Redlands, Calif., is MDA’s National Goodwill Ambassador. She has Charcot-Marie Tooth disease.
Augie and Lynne Nieto of Corona del Mar, Calif., are chairpersons of MDA’s ALS Division. Augie, 50, has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. An exercise equipment pioneer, he co-founded Life Fitness and is now chairman of Octane Fitness.
Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon
The first Telethon was held in June 1955 at Carnegie Hall in New York. The 16 1/2-hour show raised $600,000 for MDA and was broadcast on TV station WABD.
The first MDA Labor Day Telethon was broadcast in 1966 by just one station in New York City. It was the first televised fundraising event of its kind to raise more than $1 million.
On Labor Day weekend 2008, some 250,000 volunteers across the country will be involved in the Telethon.
The 2008 Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon is the 43rd annual Labor Day show. The national broadcast of the Telethon will originate from the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas beginning at 9 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 31, and ending 21 1/2 hours later at 6:30 p.m. EDT, Sept. 1.
The show will be broadcast to nearly 40 million viewers in the United States and Canada by some 190 television stations comprising MDA’s “Love Network.” Millions more worldwide will be able to see the Telethon on the Internet via RealNetworks at mda.org.
A new feature of this year’s broadcast is the Jerry Lewis Telethon Online Auction at www.mda.org/auctions. Starting Aug. 21, it features items donated by celebrities, MDA sponsors and other friends of the Association. Hundreds of items are up for bid in such categories as travel, unique experiences, electronics, golf, excursions, sports memorabilia and more. One section carries items from Harley-Davidson's 105th anniversary celebration. The auction ends Sept.4.
In 2007, pledges and donations to the MDA Telethon brought in a record $63.8 million.
Ed McMahon is the anchor of the Telethon, and the 2008 show will be his 42nd MDA Telethon.
No tickets are available to see the national Telethon live. But the best seat in the house often is right in front of your television screen.
Jerry Lewis and Celebrities
Jerry Lewis receives no pay for his tireless year-round work for MDA. He’s MDA’s "number-one volunteer” and star of the Telethon.
Other celebrities serve as Telethon co-hosts and performers. They receive no pay for their efforts.
Jerry Lewis has never missed a Labor Day weekend Telethon broadcast, in recent years braving personal pain and illness to raise funds to help Jerry’s Kids of all ages. |
