First Time Ever, MDA Invites Public To Vote For Their Favorite Telethon Moment; Top Four To Be Featured On 49th Annual Broadcast

CHICAGO, July 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time, the Muscular Dystrophy Association's nationally broadcast telethon the MDA Show of Strength Telethon, one of America's longest-standing and beloved fundraising and entertainment events, will invite America to help shape the content of the show to air this Labor Day weekend.

"For decades, countless memorable moments and awe-inspiring performances have taken place on the MDA telethon stage," said MDA President and CEO Steven M. Derks. "And thanks to robust support from some of the biggest stars in show business, many of these moments have continued to stay in the hearts of viewers and have helped make MDA a mainstay among America's top nonprofit organizations."

To celebrate some of these memories, MDA is opening the vault to its video archives and inviting visitors to http://mda.org/showofstrength/vote, where they can view a variety of clips of some of the best moments in MDA telethon history and cast their vote for their favorite one. Among the videos to vote from are performances and appearances by Aretha Franklin, The Jackson 5, Celine Dion, Will.i.am, Tim McGraw, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ed McMahon and of course the legendary Jerry Lewis.

Site visitors also will be automatically encouraged to share their favorite video on Facebook and Twitter and tell their friends about the video that got their vote. Users can return to the site each day to vote again and see how their video ranks among the rest. The top four moments to earn the most votes by 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 31, 2014, will air during the telethon broadcast.  

Telethon Returns to ABC for Second Consecutive Year

ABC has renewed its commitment to air the two-hour MDA Show of Strength Telethon on their stations across the country. As in the past, the entertainment event will raise funds and awareness and acknowledge partners who support MDA's mission to save and improve the lives of children and adults affected by progressive and often fatal muscle diseases.  The 2014 MDA Show of Strength Telethon will air Sunday, August 31 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on The ABC Television Network.

"Our primetime spectacular on ABC will offer up great entertainment and inspire millions of viewers with dramatic stories of children and adults waging battles against life-threatening muscle diseases," Derks said. "Our telethon provides an incredible opportunity to celebrate everyone who's helping to drive MDA's breathtaking progress in the search for treatments and cures … including our sponsor partners, members of the entertainment industry, the doctors and scientists, and of course the American public who so generously donate every year. Together, we are making progress in our mission to save and prolong the lives of everyone fighting muscle disease."

Musical performers and celebrity presenters for this year's telethon will be announced in early August. Artists generously donate their time and talent to help make the event a success. The MDA telethon also will feature compelling stories of strength and hope profiling children and adults living with these diseases.

About MDA Show of Strength Telethon

MDA's first Labor Day weekend telethon was broadcast in 1966 on a single New York station and has become the most successful fundraising event in the history of television. The show, with its iconic host Jerry Lewis and with help from a legion of top celebrities and entertainers, has raised millions each year to provide life-enhancing support and services for the families MDA serves. The real stars on the broadcast have always been the MDA families who have graciously agreed to open their homes and hearts to America and tell their stories of strength. This year marks the 49th annual MDA telethon.

In addition to funds contributed by the public, substantial support also comes from MDA's family of national sponsors, whose work throughout the year on behalf of MDA will be recognized on the telethon. Among the sponsors: International Association of Fire Fighters, CITGO Petroleum Corp., Lowe's, Harley-Davidson Motor Co., Jiffy Lube International, National Association of Letter Carriers, The Safeway Foundation, 7-Eleven, Dr Pepper Snapple Group/7UP, Acosta and Burger King.    

At the community level, MDA is planning telethon viewing parties with hundreds of local groups to rally support for the more than 1 million Americans it helps with lifesaving support and services.

Funds raised by MDA telethons also have contributed to the organization's worldwide research program. Today, through current clinical trials, there is growing excitement that new lifesaving treatments and discoveries are on the horizon for many of the disorders MDA is dedicated to defeating, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

About MDA

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is the world's leading nonprofit health agency dedicated to saving and improving the lives of anyone with muscle disease, including muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neuromuscular diseases. It does so by funding worldwide research to find treatments and cures; by providing comprehensive health care services and support to MDA families nationwide; and by rallying communities to fight back through advocacy, fundraising and local engagement. Visit mda.org and follow us at facebook.com/MDAnational and @MDAnews. Learn more about MDA's mission by watching this video.

About ABC Entertainment Group

Formed in 2009, the ABC Entertainment Group, comprised of ABC Entertainment and ABC Studios, develops and produces compelling programming across all day parts for both national and international broadcast and digital platforms, as well as for national syndication. ABC Studios' current hits include "Castle," "Cougar Town" (TBS), "Criminal Minds" (CBS), "Grey's Anatomy," "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," "Nashville," "Once Upon a Time," "Perception" (TNT), "Resurrection," "Revenge" and "Scandal." The ABC Television Network is also home to the Emmy-winning "Modern Family" and comedy favorites "The Middle" and "The Goldbergs"; reality phenomenon "Shark Tank" and long-running hit "Dancing with the Stars"; "General Hospital," which has aired for over 50 years on the network, along with daytime talk shows "The View" and "The Chew"; and late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live."  The network also boasts some of television's most prestigious awards shows, including The Academy Awards®, the Country Music Awards, The American Music Awards and The Billboard Music Awards.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140708/124950

SOURCE Muscular Dystrophy Association