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The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is an American organization 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. The organization was founded in 1950 by a group of concerned parents of children with muscular dystrophy. Originally known as the Muscular Dystrophy Associations of America, it was renamed to its present name in the 1970s. Comedian and actor Jerry Lewis was the well known celebrity associated with MDA, whose work with the organization was known through his annual telethon that he hosted annually through 2010. Other celebrities and entertainers have supported the organization over the years, including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Ed McMahon, Norm Crosby, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Tim McGraw, Tom Bergeron, Jann Carl, Pitbull, will.i.am, Carole King, Brandy, Jennifer Lopez, Paula Abdul, Backstreet Boys Ace Young, Billy Gilman, Alison Sweeney, Maureen McGovern, Don Francisco, John Ondrasik, Wayne Newton and Nancy O'Dell. MDA's national office is in Chicago, Illinois. ==Overview== The annual telethon, from 2012 to 2014 known as the ''MDA Show of Strength'', was held on Labor Day weekend. Debuting in 1966, it was previously hosted by Lewis, who also served as the MDA's national chairman since its inception in 1950. In 2008, the annual Labor Day Telethon raised a record USD$65,031,393. In 2005, the MDA made the unprecedented decision to pledge $1 million of the Telethon's money raised to Hurricane Katrina disaster relief, making the donation specifically to the Salvation Army (though the Telethon also urged viewers to give to the American Red Cross). Originally broadcast for up to 21½ hours from 1966 to 2010, the event was cut back to six hours in 2011.〔(MDA: "MDA Labor Day Telethon Moves to Shorter Format", October 6, 2010. )〕 The 2011 edition of the telethon was originally announced to have been Lewis' last as host, with him continuing his role as national chairman;〔(MDA press release, via Zap2it: "You’ll Never Walk Alone: Jerry Lewis To Make His Final Telethon Appearance", May 16, 2011. )〕 however, on August 3, 2011, the MDA announced that Lewis resigned as host and chairman, due to circumstances not revealed.〔(MDA: "Jerry Lewis Completes Run as MDA National Chairman", August 3, 2011. )〕 Lewis' support has been so ironclad over the years that children and adults assisted by MDA are referred to as ''Jerry's Kids''. Each year (sometimes for multiple-year stretches), a child affected by a muscle disease is chosen to be the MDA's "National Goodwill Ambassador", which, until the 1980s, were referred to as "poster children". In 1952, the MDA inaugurated Michael Danna as its first Poster Child.〔http://mda.org/sites/default/files/FormerNationalGWA.pdf〕 One of the most well-known ambassadors was Mattie Stepanek, the National Goodwill Ambassador from 2002 until his death in 2004, notable for his best-selling ''Heartsongs'' series of poetry books, and his appearances on ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' and ''Good Morning America''. More recent National Goodwill Ambassadors have been 12-year-old Bryson Foster (2012-2013) of Concord, N.C. who is affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy and current National Goodwill Ambassador 9-year-old Reagan Imhoff of New Berlin, Wisconsin. Every summer, for one week, thousands of children from across the country who have been diagnosed with one of the forty-three muscle diseases covered in MDA's program are able to attend a camp designated for only them. There is a one counselor to one camper ratio and the entire week the children, ages 6–17, are paired with an adult volunteer. They get to participate in fun activities and games and stay overnight. The camps are set up locally and are different weeks throughout the months of May through August. The entire camp staff are volunteer members and are required to interview and apply with good recommendations. The cost of the camp for the campers and volunteers is covered by the many fundraisers the MDA does each year. MDA and Lewis were once criticized by disability rights activists for their tendency to paint disabled people as, these advocates say, "pitiable victims who want and need nothing more than a big charity to take care of or cure them."〔(''TheKidsAreAllRight'' documentary website ) about a renegade Jerry's Kid named Mike Ervin〕 Critics argue that focusing the public's attention on medical cures to "normalize" disabled people fails to address issues like providing accessible buildings and transportation, and employment opportunities and other civil rights for the disabled.〔("The Nutty Profess-ion" article ) from ''Rabble News''〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Muscular Dystrophy Association」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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