Telethon: 34.53 million euros in early evening donations

On Saturday at 8 p.m., the Telethon counter displayed 34.53 million euros in donations, a level equivalent to that recorded during the 2019 edition at the same time.

The 2019 edition raised a total of 87 million euros. 

The counter of the 34th edition of the Telethon showed some 34.53 million euros on Saturday around 8 p.m., i.e. a level of donations equivalent to that recorded during the 2019 edition at the same time, despite the cancellation due to confinement of animations that symbolize this charity marathon.

At around 8 p.m., the pledged counter showed 34.53 million euros, against 34.7 million last year in the early evening.

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An edition disrupted by the Covid

The event to collect donations for research on rare diseases, launched Friday evening, is reduced this year to its retransmission on the channels of France Televisions and challenges on the internet.

Some 80% of the usual animations have been canceled because of the restrictions imposed by the fight against the Covid.

The 2020 edition, which will end on the night of Saturday to Sunday, puts the spotlight on the state-of-the-art Généthon laboratory, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and the first "great victories" made possible by gene therapy which consists of introducing genetic material into cells to treat disease.

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87 million euros in 2019

"In 30 years, with the support of the French, gene therapy has turned into drugs and it changes the lives of patients. In fact, babies condemned before the age of two, regain their strength, sit still, some are even taking their first steps, "AFM-Telethon said on Saturday in a press release.

Children treated thanks to research funded by the Telethon "do not have the fate of their gene", he adds.

The 2019 edition raised 74.6 million euros over the duration of the Telethon and 87 million in total (the counter remains open a little while after the event).