5 On Your Side’s annual telethon benefitting the Muscular Dystrophy Association is back this August and returning to its longtime home at Grant’s Farm.
Anchor Mike Bush will once again host the “MDA Show of Strength,” with co-hosts Anne Allred, Rene Knott, and Scott Connell. This will be Bush’s 37th year hosting the telethon.
"I've been lucky enough to interview presidents, senators and Hall of Fame athletes but the most impressive people I've ever met are the kids and parents dealing with muscular dystrophy,” said Bush. “They face this terrible disease with courage and determination.”
Though traditionally held over Labor Day weekend, this year’s telethon will air one week earlier on Sunday, Aug. 27 from 8-10 p.m. It will air live on 5 On Your Side’s broadcast and 5+ streaming channel. It will also be available for re-broadcast on the station’s YouTube and 5+ streaming channels.
The telethon aims to raise money to help people living with neuromuscular diseases, for which there is currently no cure. More than 2,000 people in the St. Louis area are helped by the MDA each year. Donations can be made online through a special page set up by the MDA for this telethon.
“In my 37 years doing the telethon, this is the most exciting time,” said Bush. “We've got new drugs and treatments that have changed the game for these families. It's all thanks to our generous viewers over the years who've help fund these treatments. So, we have to continue this important work, now more than ever."
Bush was recognized by the MDA last year for his three and a half decades of service. He was presented the MDA Tribute Award, which 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.
Last year’s telethon raised more than $458,000.
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.
For more information contact:
Alicia Elsner, 314-444-5256
