 For more than 45 years, Jerry Lewis has personified the fight against neuromuscular diseases. As national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), he is a leader who wages battles on behalf of the more than a million Americans affected by these disorders. And to his millions of fans, he is not only an admired actor, comedian, director, producer, and teacher, but a humanitarian striving to provide "his kids" with a better future. For more than four decades, Jerry has served as volunteer national chairman of the MDA health agency. Since 1966, his Labor Day Telethons have raised some $900 million for the search for treatments and cures for neuromuscular diseases, and to provide unparalleled service to those affected by them. Watched by some 70 million viewers, the 1997 Telethon raised a record $50.5 million in pledges and contributions. He says, "People think I show up only on Labor Day--that's hysterical." Jerry has been effective in enlisting aid for hundreds of thousands of people with neuromuscular disorders through legislative action. In 1973, he appeared before the California legislature and petitioned for and received $1 million for the Jerry Lewis Neuromuscular Disease Research Center at UCLA. Jerry's determined humanitarian efforts have earned the television and film celebrity numerous awards and honors. In 1977, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize--the only time an entertainer has been so honored. The French made their sentiments official in 1984 by giving him their two most distinguished awards. He was made Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters, followed by an induction into the Legion of Honor, in recognition of his many years of leadership of MDA. On June 8, 1985, the U.S. Defense Department presented him with its highest civilian award--the Medal for Distinguished Public Service. And in December 1996, Jerry and the MDA were recognized by the American Medical Association with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Jerry is also a successful inventor--his patented video assist is currently used on virtually every movie set, and on many television sets.
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