Nearly 74 million euros in pledges were collected during the 35th edition of the Telethon, an annual charity event intended to help finance medical research and broadcast for some 30 hours, live, on the channels of France Televisions.
Last year at cause of Covid-19, the Telethon had only taken place on television. It was able to take place in the field and throughout France this year.
For the occasion, 74 million euros in pledges were collected for research on rare diseases after a whole weekend of events in more than 10,000 municipalities across the country. ” We were able to reconnect with conviviality and the spirit of celebration in the field », While respecting barrier gestures, welcomed the president of the AFM-Telethon organization, Laurence Tiennot-Herment to AFP.
A result ” as strong as the generosity of the public, as the energy felt on the thousands of events that took place throughout France, and as powerful as the struggle of families and the determination of researchers “, Welcomed the AFM-Telethon.
Sponsored by the rapper Soprano, this 35th edition obtains a net increase in result compared to the total of 58.3 million euros raised last year. A total of 77 million had been recorded last year at the meter, which remained open some time after the event.
73 622 019 €! Thank you. Our fight can continue.
A counter as strong as the generosity of the public, as the energy felt on the thousands of events that took place throughout France, and as powerful as the struggle of families and the determination of researchers pic.twitter.com/EEupre8EPq
– AFM-Telethon (@Telethon_France) December 5, 2021
“Show that illness is not inevitable”
To convince of the usefulness of the donation, the Telethon 2021 this year focused on gene therapy, a method of inserting genetic material into cells to cure a disease.
” I think that the Telethon is a wonderful celebration and that it allows to show an image of the handicap which is often sad, in the end, but which shows the reality of things. Then there is the research. Me, that gives me a boost of hope, because it always allows me, every morning, to say to myself: Ah! Maybe one day some will no longer have these problems that I had and it will make our life easier », Testified Jacques, a high school student suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, at the microphone of Laurence Théault, from the Sciences department of RFI.
For Jacques, this colossal charity event, in addition to collecting donations for research, is a way of making French people aware of disability in general. : ” Many French people do not know the handicap, in fact… And for them it is always inevitable. So, may this great event change mentalities and show people that illness is not inevitable. And that precisely, by appealing to the Telethon, it also makes it possible to put hope in all young muscular dystrophy. There you go… And I think it’s beautiful “.