“Today, we can talk about lives saved, destinies changed, hopes made reality,” greeted Laurence Tiennot-Herment, president of the AFM-Téléthon.
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The 37th edition of the Telethon ended on the night of Saturday December 9 to Sunday December 10 with a final prize pool of more than 80 million euros in pledges, the AFM-Téléthon association announced in a press release. Last year, these pledges reached 90.8 million euros, the best result since 2016, but donations are still possible, which makes comparison with the previous edition impossible at this stage.
These 80.671 million euros “testify to the confidence and exceptional mobilization of donors and volunteers for this edition rich in victories against the disease and in promises for all those who await the diagnosis and the treatment that will change their lives”greeted the association. “Today, we can talk about lives saved, destinies changed, hopes come true, and it’s thanks to you!” underlined Laurence Tiennot-Herment, president of the AFM-Téléthon cited in the press release.
Like every year, events were organized in several cities in France, the event mobilized France Télévisions for 30 hours of live broadcast, and the 2023 edition was sponsored by the singer Vianney. In addition to field collections, pledges of donations by telephone (3637) and online, a gaming marathon and a raffle were on the program.
95% of rare diseases remain without treatment or diagnosis
The AFM (French Association against Myopathies) has dedicated some 58 million euros in 2022 to the research and development of new therapies. The Telethon particularly targets rare diseases, 95% of which remain without treatment or even diagnosis.
Beyond the research issues, the Telethon remains a unique event: this year it mobilized more than 200,000 volunteers and took place in more than 10,000 municipalities. The 2023 edition made several nods to the 2024 Olympic Games which will take place in Paris. With, for example, the “Official Dance” of the Olympic Games revealed for the first time on television during the Telethon.