THE OTHER HALF OF THE TEAM

foreign [Music] hello I'd like to speak with you as Jerry Lewis the father rather than Jerry Lewis the Entertainer and for the benefit of those who are not aware of it I have three sons and I feel more or less qualified to do so now when you as a parent Stand By and Watch a child slowly die a pretty easy question to answer isn't it you couldn't stand by you do everything in your power to help wouldn't you well at this very moment in this country you can multiply one child by 135 000 that's how many children are slowly dying of muscular dystrophy MD is a mystery disease we know neither the cause nor The Cure now you can help save these kids lives by supporting the research sponsored by muscular dystrophy associations of America please give as much as you possibly can to your local march on muscular dystrophy or mail your gift to the muscular dystrophy associations of America mdaa care of your local postmaster thank you very much foreign [Music] [Music] [Applause] this is Santa Barbara California a jewel of the Pacific coast Santa barbarains are rightly proud of their City small by accepted standards it is nevertheless one of the more beautiful communities of the world our architecture has been carefully planned to conform with centuries of tradition the tradition that was born when the early Spanish Padres created the inspiring California missions we are basically a residential City while some of the homes that line our streets are not pretentious others are storybook Mansions there's one thing however that all of our people have in common regardless of where or how they live the concern for the well-being of their children here in the surrounding of warm clean air and natural beauty youngsters have an opportunity to grow to healthy happy normal adults [Music] like so many communities in the United States a shadow hangs over Santa Barbara it is a creeping inhuman murderer it is the shadow of muscular dystrophy this is Stephen Taylor the victim of muscular dystrophy like two hundred thousand other victims of this disease two-thirds of the children he has been reduced from a healthy happy child to a relatively helpless form of humanity Stephen wasn't always a helpless at the age of six he was a normal vigorous child perhaps not always able to keep up with the rest of the children but but in their pitching Steve was clumsy there were times his parents wondered if you would ever learn to pick up his feet in spite of his plumliness Steve was happy he was able to laugh at being awkward in his attempt to keep up with his active Playmates In Too Short a Time Steve's clumsiness increased until normal movement was difficult the physical change was apparent as his once sculptly leg muscles developed into useless fatty tissue foreign [Music] just getting up off the ground became quite an effort and his clumsy walk was reduced to a waddling Shuffle this disease is little known to the average American the most competent abductors at times have difficulty in diagnosing the early stages of muscular dystrophy less than six years ago there was no concentrated effort to analyze or combat this dreaded disease a doctor has many unpleasant duties but one of the most difficulties to tell a mother your child has muscular destroy yes Stephen has muscular dystrophy can you conceivably comprehend what this statement would mean to you if this were your child when a youngster is stricken with this disease it is not only a disaster to the individual creates a tragic change in the way of life for the entire family what does it mean to have a child Afflicted with muscular dystrophy when this helpless stage is reached all Vestige of normal family life has disappeared the patient can never be left alone caring for the child becomes an exhausting task both mentally and physically everything must be done for him he must be fed bathed dressed is every movement dependent on someone but the most difficult of all for the parent is to conceal their personal loss and help their child lead as normal a life as possible [Music] the children do not give up easily as the once healthy muscles weaken the effort of movement becomes increasingly greater things that were easily accomplished as an infant are now attained only by a courageous determination [Music] at nights the struggle is at its peak small things such as turning over moving an arm or leg must be attended to by someone [Music] but the real battle begins when the lights go out while these children are helpless physically mentally they are as alert as ever during the day many things happen to help these youthful Minds escape the shackles of their physical imprisonment but who can say what fears are in their hearts at night stricken before they knew the real Joy of living they eventually are confined to a bed never to leave it again alive what is being done to help the victims of muscular dystrophy and Saint Francis Hospital in Santa Barbara a physical therapy department is available to Aid those afflicted The Heist is used to raise the patient from the cart turn and lower him into the pool now we have a good look at this boy's legs they are very large and look strong but actually they are almost solid fat this is the hypertrophic form of progressive muscular dystrophy floating in the warm water allows this boy to move his legs something he cannot do on dry land where he is completely helpless notice the swimming motion of his legs and the happy expression on his face he's moving his legs as he once did as a healthy child in his own mind he is really swimming and that to him is pure pleasure floated onto the plinth or table he's given exercises these exercises are possible for him to execute only with the assistance of water the physical therapist is attempting to get some of his abdominal muscles to contract foreign letter carrier was stricken at the age of 35. he's almost completely paralyzed in the arms and shoulders he cannot lift his arms without assistance from the physical therapist by stepping down into the deeper water he can raise both arms by his own efforts aided of course by the flotation of the water just put yourself in the place of this man 25 years of progressive sickness for the wife to care for and children to raise and this is Billy he weighs 140 pounds his mother weighs 130 pounds naturalism assistance is necessary in handling him his ingenious lifting device is the answer he can be picked up out of bed and deposited into his wheelchair with ease and when in the clinic can be easily moved from the wheelchair onto the mat for exercises looking at this boy we see the progress in this disease until the age of three he was a normal boy then he developed large calves was caused by the degeneration of the muscles into fatty tissue this paralysis spread slowly to the trunk and upper extremities until the result was couldn't help business [Music] this young lady was hit with a disease as a child she awkwardly held her own for many years until a period of bed rests started her on her downward course again she has difficulty going upstairs she must reinforce her thigh muscles by pushing with her hand above her knee in order to get up she looked strong but in reality she is very weak as evidenced by her efforts in getting up from the mat notice the characteristic waddle to the gates of the muscular distributation this girl exhibits this type of walking as she swings her hips to help move her thighs and legs Ricky is the most pathetic type of all he is the a traffic type his muscles have shrunk and wasted so that there is nothing left but skin and bone she is actually a living skeleton Giants are bent stiff and useless he cannot walk he cannot sit he has to lie down all the time yet he has a clear mind and takes a normal path in the conversation about him Valiant efforts were made to prevent his deformity but to no avail the exercise necessary to keep this child's arms and legs straight were so painful that the mother did not feel the effort was worth his suffering deterioration progressed slowly at this stage it is doubtful that Ricky could survive a common cold his statement is seven this treatment of physical therapy is a relief not a cure at present there is no known cure the muscular dystrophy associations of America have researched programs in over 100 research institutions doctors scientists pathologists have all banded together to fight this dreaded disease they are working as an inspired team but they are only half of the team the other half is you without your generous contributions of time and money none of this work can continue we know with all our combined efforts that one day muscular dystrophy will be conquered we need those combined efforts now for it is a battle against time to help those already Afflicted remember the time and money you give will help a child to live yes you the other half of the team must make the decision surely you want to help these driven people or do you want Stephen and the thousands like him to stand alone [Music] [Applause] [Music] thank you [Music]