Despite the cancellation of 70% of the activities planned as part of this charity marathon, due to confinement, the Telethon kitty recorded on Saturday morning more than 10 million euros in donations, an increase of more than 3.4 million compared to the same score last year.
The counter of the 34th edition of the Telethon showed more than 10 million euros on Saturday early in the morning, up for the moment compared to the 2019 edition, despite the cancellation due to confinement of the events that symbolize this marathon charitable.
At 9 a.m., the counter of pledges showed 10,436,043 euros, against 6,989,059 euros last year at the same time.
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 70% of the usual animations have been canceled because of the restrictions imposed by the fight against the Covid.
A 34th edition focused on advances in gene therapy
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.
In the morning, it will broadcast "the testimonies of the families who have benefited from these revolutionary treatments and the researchers who develop them".
"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.