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MDA Telethon returns to Grant’s Farm and 5 On Your Side

As it does every year, all money raised during the telethon stays right here in St. Louis to help people living with neuromuscular diseases.
Credit: Bill Greenblatt/UPI
Mike Bush conducts an interview during the 2021 MDA Show of Strength Telethon.

A decades-long Labor Day weekend tradition will return to 5 On Your Side and Grant’s Farm.

The MDA Show of Strength Telethon will be hosted by anchors Mike Bush, Anne Allred, and Rene Knott. Bush has co-hosted the telethon for 35 years. He started in 1987 when it lasted nearly 20 hours. Allred joined as his co-host in 2018. This year’s telethon will run from 8-10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4.

As it does every year, all money raised during the telethon stays right here in St. Louis to help people living with neuromuscular diseases.

“I’ve been involved with MDA for more than 30 years and these kids and adults are my heroes,” said Bush. “They face challenges every day with kindness and grace and it’s the great honor of my life to do anything I can to help.”

“Every year this event highlights the strength and compassion of the St. Louis community,” said Allred. “The MDA families are truly inspiring and full of positivity and resilience. The people of St. Louis always show up for the MDA community and give generously. Their spirit of philanthropy is overwhelming.”

This year’s telethon will be extra special. To thank Bush for his decades of service to the MDA, he will be the recipient of the MDA Tribute Award, presented by Donald S. Wood, President and CEO of Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The Tribute Award honors the legacy and life’s work of those who have been tireless in their efforts to support the patients and families served by the MDA.

"Hope for a longer, more independent life is now becoming a reality for patients living with muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular diseases. And the pipeline of promise – more life empowering treatments and cures – is growing and creating ever more hope for the millions of patients and their families who are at the heart of MDA's mission and vision. We are pleased to bring together the MDA community in St. Louis for KSDK’s ‘Show of Strength’ program and to honor Mike Bush with the MDA Tribute Award for his longstanding commitment to MDA families. Mike and the team at KSDK are part of our MDA family and we are grateful to them and the viewers for tuning in and donating as part of Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month in September," said Wood.

Thousands of people in the United States live with a neuromuscular disease. There is currently no cure. All money raised during the telethon will benefit people in the St. Louis area. The MDA helps 2,000 local families each year.

The telethon is part of 5 On Your Side’s GIVE 75 campaign, which runs through Sept. 15. The campaign was created in honor of the station’s 75th anniversary. A donation from 5 On Your Side was made to 10 area non-profits, and viewers have been encouraged to make donations to the non-profit of their choice.

The show can be viewed on television, ksdk.com, on 5 On Your Side’s YouTube channel, and on the 5+ app available for free on Roku and Fire TV. Donations can be made online at ksdk.com/donate. Viewers can also text GIVEMDA to 314-425-5355 to be texted a link to donate. All donations are 100% tax-deductible.

About 5 On Your Side
5 On Your Side is the NBC affiliate in St. Louis, Missouri and has been a leader in local news, information, and community involvement for more than seven decades. 5 On Your Side is owned by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), an innovative media company that owns and operates 64 television stations in 51 markets. To learn more about 5 On Your Side, please visit KSDK.com.

About Muscular Dystrophy Association
Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is the #1 voluntary health organization in the United States for people living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases. For over 70 years, MDA has led the way in accelerating research, advancing care, and advocating for the support of our families. MDA’s mission is to empower the people we serve to live longer, more independent lives. To learn more visit mda.org and follow MDA on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

For more information contact:
Alicia Elsner, 314-444-5256

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