Philatelic Issue - 40th Telethon

40th Telethon It was December 4, 1987. Thirty hours of live television dedicated to raising awareness about rare diseases that were completely unknown to the general public. The very first Telethon in Europe marked the beginning of a great collective, human, scientific, and medical adventure. Since then, every year, millions of people have participated in the Telethon: volunteers organize events throughout France; towns, organizations, and schools mobilize by the thousands; companies get involved; and donors offer their support. These four decades of struggle, boldness, and innovation—coupled with exceptional solidarity—have brought rare diseases out of the shadows and made them a public health priority. It has also marked a shift from medical helplessness to the first innovative treatments that are overturning the prognosis for diseases long considered incurable and saving lives. In total, thanks to the Telethon, AFM-Telethon has funded nearly 10,000 research programs, supported more than 5,000 researchers, and established three laboratories —Généthon, I-Stem, and the Institute of Myology—at the forefront of therapeutic innovation. Four decades after the first Telethon, a true medical revolution is underway! Patients and their families also benefit from support and structured care pathways, information services, and rights that had to be fought for—and for which the fight must continue. The Telethon demonstrates that by joining forces, we can transform outrage into action, hope into scientific progress, and solidarity into lives saved. It is this collective energy that, for nearly forty years, has enabled us to pursue a single goal: to defeat disease.

Bloc de timbres-poste (héliogravure) : création Camille de Cussac et mise en page agence La Slow. Document philatélique : création Camille de Cussac et mise en page Ségolène Carron. Cachet d’oblitération : mise en page agence La Slow d’après logo AFM-Téléthon. Texte : AFM-Téléthon.