Fw: A Labor Day Tradition And Change

September 3, 2012

A Labor Day Tradition And Change

Hi All,

I hope you are having a great Labor Day. I sent an email I recently received

from the MDA about this year's Telethon. As you may already know, last year

some changes came in the way they produce the show. Jerry was dropped

from the special. I believe he was planning to retire soon anyway but I was

outraged anyway because he has dedicated so many years to the fight against

neuro-muscular disease and it is because he helped so many people become aware

of it that this TV special has become a Labor Day tradition.

Well, this year I have thought about it a lot. He was mentioned at the

beginning of last year's broadcast but not this year except that they want to

honor a tradition, as they say.

I got to thinking that even as Jerry goes into retirement and they no

longer refer to the people of all ages who have muscular dystrophy as Jerry's

Kids, the fight goes on. They are always coming up with advances in medicine

and enabling more people to live longer and go to the clinics and camps.

I saw some very interesting stories of very inspiring people who are living with

these many diseases and not choosing to sit and let life go by.

went to school with many children who suffered from these conditions and

he spent time with them and helped to makethem happy as his teacher, Mr.

Cosgrove, asked him to do since he was the only student in that classroom who

was able to walk. The teacher told that most of these other students

probably would not live to reach their 21st birthdays.

I think that was a tall order for a 13-year-old boy who was going through the

awkward teen years and also dealing with cerebral palsy. But handled it

like a champ as he did so many things in his life. So we are all going through

many changes as I have learned vbery well since passed on June 16.

But I know the fight for these people goes on and even though many of the

performers are now unfamiliar to me as I grow older, the people with these

conditions have even more need for the services of the Muscular Dystrophy

Association. So I did what I think Jerry and A. Leggett would want

me to do.

I listened to the show on our local station as well as the online broadcast at

and called my contribution in memory of A. Leggett at

1-800-FIGHTMD

Have a wonderful Labor Day and please do what you can to help the people I

always will affectionately think of as Jerry's Kids and also in memory of

and his friends.

Lora A. Leggett

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