I have seen a lot of people posting this link and making negative comments about the money being donated to ALS via the ice bucket challenge. I dont usually get involved in these conversations but I feel compelled to do so on this one. People are bashing the idea that only 27% of funds raised are going directly to research. But what people arent talking about is where the other money goes. Yes some is spent on employee salaries and some is spent to further fund raise (btw this is the case with most non-profits. It takes money to make money). Those two areas total 21 % of the annual budget in a typical year. This year donations are high so those percentages are going to be smaller. 19% goes to community and patient resources! That is money that directly helps patients. Maybe it helps find a wheelchair ramp, maybe it pays for transportation to dr apts, maybe it helps ease the financial burden this illness can cause individuals and families. Money well spent in my opinion. After all isnt this why so many are donating. A cure would be amazing but for those living with this disease now a cure may not come soon enough. Yet they are still living and struggling with ALS. NOW. The remaining 32% is spent on public and professional education. Before the ice bucket challenge how many of you knew what ALS was? In nursing school we breofly covered it. In reality most of what I know about ALS is from google. After my friend Shelly Nguyen s mom was diagnosed I researched it on my own so that I would be more knowledgable. No Im just one of MANY healthcare professionals who only knows a little about ALS. Continuing education of medical personnel is vital to ensure diagnosis in a timely manner. How would you fell if a loved one had ALS but was never diagnosed because the healthcare workers the interact with simply arent knowledgable about the symptoms and fail to put the pieces together. It will be interesting to see what the analysis looks like at the end of this year when the reports are files. I for one would like to see more money spent on patient and community resources. Yes research is important but it should not be the only focus. Patients are living with ALS and this money could really make a difference today. politicalears/blog/ice-bucket-fraud-als-foundation-admits-that-73-of-donations-are-not-used-for-als-research/?utm_content=bufferc41d8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=buffer
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 19:10:27 +0000
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