Muscular Dystrophy Association

Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is a U.S. organization founded in 1950 which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating health professionals and the general public.

Related Topics:
1950 - Muscular dystrophy - Nervous system - Muscular system - Research

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MDA is most famous for the nationwide telethon it holds on Labor Day each year. Begun in 1966, it is hosted by Jerry Lewis, who has supported MDA since its inception. Lewis's support has been so ironclad over the years that children assisted by MDA are referred to as Jerry's Kids. In 2005, despite the impact of Hurricane Katrina, the annual Labor Day Telethon raised US$54.9 million. MDA made the unprecedented decision to pledge $1 million of the money raised to disaster relief, making the donation specifically to the Salvation Army.

Related Topics:
Labor Day - 1966 - Jerry Lewis - 2005 - Hurricane Katrina - US$ - Salvation Army

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MDA targets the following muscular dystrophy diseases:

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• Duchenne muscular dystrophy
• Becker's muscular dystrophy
• Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy
• Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy
• Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
• Myotonic dystrophy
• Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy
• Distal muscular dystrophy
• Congenital muscular dystrophy

It also targets the following:

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• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Infantile spinal muscular atrophy
• Juvenile, Intermediate, and Adult spinal muscular atrophy
• Spinal bulbar muscular atrophy
• Dermatomyositis
• Polymyositis
• Inclusion body myositis
• Myasthenia gravis
• Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome
• Congenital myasthenic syndrome
• Hyperthyroid myopathy
• Hypothyroid myopathy
• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
• Friedreich's ataxia
• Dejerine-Sottas disease
• Myotonia congenita, both Thomsen's and Becker's Disease
• Paramyotonia congenita
• Central core disease
• Nemaline myopathy
• Myotubular myopathy
• Periodic paralysis, both Hypokalemic and Hyperkalemic
• Mitochondrial myopathy, a mitochondrial disease

It also targets muscle diseases due to deficiencies in carnitine and the following enzymes:

Related Topics:
Carnitine - Enzyme

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• Phosphorylase
• Acid Maltase (Pompe's disease)
• Phosphofructokinase
• Debrancher enzyme (also known as Amylo-1,6-glucosidase); a glycogen storage disease also known as Forbes disease
• Carnitine palmityl transferase
• Phosphoglycerate kinase
• Phosphoglycerate mutase
• Lactate dehydrogenase
• Myoadenylate deaminase

MDA's national headquarters are in Tucson, Arizona. Its most visible fundraising event is the "Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon" held every Labor Day weekend since 1966.

Related Topics:
Tucson, Arizona - Jerry Lewis - Telethon - Labor Day - 1966

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