Ice bucket challenge for ALS takes social media by storm
You might have noticed a trend of late where lots of celebrities douse themselves with buckets of ice water and wondered what it’s all about. Well here’s your answer.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is social media’s latest craze designed to raise money and awareness by dumping a bucket of ice water on one’s head or donating to the ALS Association in the United States and UK, who are working to fight Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease or Motor Neurone Disease.
This illness affects the brain and the spinal cord in which Motor neurons degenerate and die, making it increasingly difficult to move muscles.
When muscles aren’t used enough, they stop working and sufferers begin to feel weak, especially in their limbs, during speech, swallowing and breathing. As muscle tissue atrophies, limbs start to get smaller. In the later stages of the illness, patients may become totally paralyzed.
There is no known cause of ALS, though there is a proven hereditary factor in some cases. In about 90% of cases, nobody knows how or why the illness struck. There is also no known cure, though the millions being raised by the ALS association will go towards researching these great unknowns.
The challenge dares nominated participants to have a bucket of ice water poured on their head. One common stipulation gives 24 hours from the time they are nominated to complete the dare; otherwise, the participant is asked to donate money to charity although most donate to the cause anyway.
Celebrities and other prominent people who have taken up this challenge are the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Bill gates, Jessica Alba, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Seacrest, Macklemoreand 223 more others including Justin Timberlake who got all of his friends to do it at the same time.… and there we have it ladies and gentlemen, wasting water is unacceptable unless it’s for a good cause, of course .
Check out videos our Top 10 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Videos you should check out
