August 12, 2003

ON TELETHON HEROES

Telethon heroes aren’t just those who appear on our annual educational and fund-raising broadcast dedicated to the defeat of more than 40 neuromuscular diseases. The phrase also refers to those who, in any number of ways and often behind the scenes, contribute to the success of the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon in the weeks surrounding this classic American television event.

You can find these heroes in a lot of different places in the days preceding the broadcast which airs live for 21½ hours starting at 9 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 31, on an MDA “Love Network” station serving your community.

A multitude of MDA heroes will gather in Milwaukee on the weekend of the Telethon for the culmination of the 14-month-long, multicity Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary Celebration. Part of that celebration will be the Parade of MDA Heroes, which honors some 200 Harley-Davidson enthusiasts who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their fund-raising efforts in behalf of MDA. As many as 200,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycle enthusiasts are expected to attend this once-in-a-lifetime event. Visit Harley-Davidson online to find out more about this spectacular celebration and about Harley-Davidson’s long-term support of MDA.

Morgan Fritz

You need only go as far as your local supermarket to see heroes who are making a huge difference in the fight against muscular dystrophy. Throughout August and leading up to the Telethon, caring professionals in the food retail industry will be conducting MDA’s Aisles of Smiles program at supermarkets nationwide. The program offers consumers bargain prices on purchases which will benefit MDA’s programs in research, health care services and summer camp for kids. Special kudos to the heroes who are making possible this great program to help “Jerry’s kids.”

Fire fighters will be out in force in coming weeks, doing their bit to help conquer muscular dystrophy. Look for them on the roadsides conducting their famous Fill-the-Boot campaign to help MDA. If you see them, please take the time to make a contribution -- and offer a word of appreciation to these brave men and women who are true heroes to all of us in the MDA family.

You can see representatives of Harley riders, fire fighters, the grocery industry and many other enthusiastic MDA supporters appearing live on our Telethon, talking about their fund-raising efforts throughout the year.

You’ll also be introduced to families and individuals who are heroes by dint of the courage and positive spirit they show in their personal fights against neuromuscular diseases.

	Lateef Murdock

For instance, you’ll see a story about Lateef Murdock, a talented young musician from Inkster, Mich., who’s affected by acid maltase deficiency, or Pompe’s disease. You’ll meet a 4-year-old girl from St. Peters, Mo., Morgan Fritz, who’s fighting spinal muscular atrophy. (Morgan’s dad is a fire fighter.)

Shane Bourque

We’ll also encounter Shane Bourque, a boy from Warwick, R.I., who has Becker muscular dystrophy; Elio Navarro, a young adult from Tampa, Fla., who’s fighting spinal muscular atrophy; Erin Kiernan, a teenager from Mount Airy, Md., who has Friedreich’s ataxia; Calvin Ray Johnson, a talented young singer from Mount Washington, Ky., who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy and who’ll be performing on the Telethon; and a young couple from Houston, Christopher and Reda Rice, who are dealing with Chris’s fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

	Christopher Rice & family

Another courageous individual fighting ALS, Steven Bishop, will return to the Telethon with his wife, Jennifer. Both Steven and Jennifer, who are from Arvada, Colo., appeared on last year’s broadcast and spoke in compelling fashion about the urgent need to defeat ALS. Since their Telethon appearance, Steven and Jennifer have become co-chairpersons of MDA’s ALS Division.

Also returning will be our MDA National Goodwill Ambassador and best-selling poet, Mattie Stepanek. Mattie, who just had his 13th birthday and made a recent appearance on CNN’s “Larry King Live,” is still recuperating from his four-month-long hospital stay earlier in the year. Because his health is still fragile, Mattie and his mom, Jeni, won’t undertake the cross-country trek from Baltimore to Hollywood, as they did last year. Instead, Mattie will appear on our national Telethon broadcast live via satellite from Baltimore’s WNUV-TV, and will interact with Jerry and his Telethon co-hosts that way. Mattie’s poetic spirit inspired all of us involved in the Telethon last year, and no doubt will do so again.

Our Telethon will also present a number of research updates by leading MDA-funded investigators who’ll report on the latest advances in basic and clinical research. Look for special reports on Pompe’s disease and the therapeutic use of stem cells.

You can be a Telethon hero, too. Just make a contribution to support the effort to beat neuromuscular diseases. You can call the phone number that appears on your screen during the Telethon. Or you can make a contribution by clicking here any time before, during or after the Telethon.

Heroes are defined not by what they say or think, but by what they do. So please give generously to this important fight. On behalf of all those MDA serves, thank you for your support!

With every best wish...

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