Univision Hosts 28-hour Telethon to Benefit Kids

Dec. 14, 2012— -- This weekend, Univision is aiming to raise millions for children with disabilities, cancer and autism in the U.S. through their 28-hour "TeletonUSA" drive, which runs from 10 p.m. on Friday to 2 a.m. on Sunday.

The drive, which had already raised nearly $2 million by Saturday, will feature Latino celebrities, singers and TV personalities to help reach the $7 million goal this year. The money will go towards the construction of a new rehabilitation center in the the U.S.

Childhood disabilities, cancer and autism affect a large portion of U.S. children. About one in 315 children will develop cancer before their 20th birthday, according to the American Childhood Cancer Organization. One in 100 children ages 3 to 17 in the U.S. have an autism-spectrum disorder, acording to the National Children's Health Survey. And about 1 in 6 children of the same age have some form of developmental disorder, according to studies by the Center for Disease Control.

Univision's programming over the weekend will feature personal stories of children who have been affected by various childhood diseases. Dozens of Latino stars, including Gloria Estefan, Paulina Rubio will participate in the event. Sabado Gigante's Mario Kreutzberger, known by many as Don Francisco, will host the show.

The motto of Univision's Teleton USA is "El amor y la ciencia al servicio de la vida" which loosely translates to, "Love and science, for the betterment of life."

Tune in to Univision or click here to find out how you can help.