I have accepted the ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease) Ice Bucket Challenge made by IAFF1560 President and Boca Raton Firefighter John Luca. He is made of much stouter stuff then me so I have bough out with a $100 donation. WHATS GOING ON? The Ice Bucket Challenge involves daring a person to dump a bucket of ice water over their head within the next 24 hours, or else donate money — usually $100 — toward fighting ALS. Even if a person completes the challenge, theyre more than welcome to donate money too. WHATS ALS? ALS is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but you probably know it better as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Its a fatal disease that makes people who get it lose muscle control, including the ability to eat, speak, and breathe. Life expectancy for those with it is between two and five years, and the only drug available for it is only able to extend that by a few months. HOWD THE CHALLENGE GET STARTED? Pete Frates, a former Boston College baseball player, began the Ice Bucket Challenge — and hes being widely credited for kicking it off. Frates is 29 and has been living with ALS since 2012. The challenge has really become a phenomenon since Frates took the challenge at the end of last month. SO WHOS TAKEN THE CHALLENGE? A lot of people — and a lot of famous people too. The latest trend is for tech executives to take it on: Mark Zuckerberg, Satya Nadella, Phil Schiller, and Dick Costolo, Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon, The Roots, Matt Lauer, Martha Stewart, and Chris Christie and many others have accepted, dunked themselves, and challenged others. President Obama declined to get soaked but has pledged to make a donation. Raising awareness of ALS and the current state of ALS research is arguably as important as the immediate fundraising aspect. In the long run, theres plenty to gain from getting the the public thinking about the disease — and this challenge is doing just that. IS THIS ACTUALLY RAISING ANY MONEY? The ALS Association received $4 million in donations between July 29th and August 12th — a figure over three and a half times as big as what it received during the same time period last year. Theres good reason to believe that sum is still growing quickly.The ALS Association, a non-profit, is trying to find a cure for the disease, but its money also goes toward making sure that those currently living with the disease receive high-quality care. It partners with governments, health clinics, and also operates centers of its own to provide care for people with ALS and promote research on the disease.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 17:21:00 +0000
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