ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
We have a new good reason to look forward to August. The bittersweet end to summer breaks, sweltering days drawing to a close, and for my family, another year Mom has been with God.
It’s ALS Month
When the Ice Bucket Challenge launched, the letters ALS finally become known worldwide. This disease was not longer only known to us touched by it. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is ALS.
This terrible disease of the nervous system causes muscle weakness throughout the body. The person’s brain stays fully in tact—when you meet someone with ALS remember that even if their speech is impaired, they hear and understand everything you are saying the same as they did pre-illness. (See here for a fuller explanation of ALS.)
Dad Died from ALS in April 2009
There are, according to the ALS Association, 15 new cases of ALS diagnosed every day. That number may sound small, but this is an always-fatal disease, and receiving the news is devastating.
I’m glad the Ice Bucket Challenge is back. I’ll happily (okay, maybe not happily, I hate being cold!) drench myself in ice in order to promote the cause.
The 220 Million raised because of last year’s Challenge is being spent on research and assistance for ALS patients. I love that people accepted the challenge of a self-soaking and made a donation to ALS instead of only dunking. It is a symbolic act giving us a moment of misery in comparison to the ongoing pain an ALS person suffers.
So, let’s kick it off, folks! Here’s how…
I’m dunking on August 1st and challenge my siblings to do the same. Here’s to obliterating this horrendous disease from the landscape of our lives.
*Read, When the ALS Challenge was still happening
**
Read: Coping with Loss
Thanks for letting me know. I wasn’t aware of it. My mom was diagnosed with ALS in 2007 and passed in 2008. I too saw first-hand how it affects individuals. I am glad people are becoming more aware of this illness.
Sabrina, I am sorry to hear about your Mom. ALS is devastating. As Seester remarked below, it’s a death sentence. Where cancer can be beat so many times–my beloved Uncle just did!–ALS is not beatable. That is what we’re praying the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge will do–provide funds to find a cure.
Glad to hear it is coming back round again. Really great to see the web put to such good use!
Yes, this is the best example (for me personally) of the power of social media!
It’s nice to see this come back around. As hot as it has been I’d be thrilled to have a bucket of ice water thrown over me. Even more so when it’s for a good cause. 🙂
Susan, I added a note to my video post on Facebook that I dunked myself over a super dry patch of yard. After monsoon rains for weeks on end, it got so hot and dry here that the yard started to look like the turf around Barstow!
Of course yesterday we got hit with torrential rains and storming typical of June in western PA. I wish my CA friends could at least get some of the rain!
I wondered if it would come back this year and am happy that it has. The ALSA has done a very good job with their site for helping people choose where they want their donation to go.
ALS is a scary disease. I’m glad you’re supporting it by doing the ALS challenge.
I am a cold-wimp, Jason, so I am hoping that the day gets hotter and hotter! Right now, we are having a perfect spring morning in Pittsburgh. Haven’t had a morning this perfect since May!
Glad to hear the ice bucket challenge is coming back. Rarely does the viral include something as worthwhile.
You are right, Ken. And in with your recent technology posts–some of it is scary!–it’s nice to know that the viral world can plunge something so good into the universe!
Thank you for writing about the Ice Bucket Challenge again. And yes, I will take the challenge for our Dad! (Still miss you every day, Dad.) ALS is so very devastating in the fact that when you are handed that diagnosis you know that the disease will take your life. There is no escaping it. Let’s pray that the research will help find a cure.
I love how open the ALSA has been about where the money is going. As if we weren’t impressed enough with the Western PA Chapter in their help for Dad–and the family.
Oh Seester…how we miss our wonderful Dad!
Yes, praying that a cure is on the horizon!
I am sorry to hear about your father. I felt this was for a great cause and I had many a laugh watching the videos of people screaming and jumping in the air as they bravely participated!
I myself have not carried out the challenge.
I was impressed when Pete Frates took the challenge, Phoenicia. My father was never a complainer, but we knew that he hurt all the time. As your bones lose their muscle and fat, it becomes bone to bone, which hurts.
The ice bucket challenge hurts–if only for that one moment. So Pete really blew me away by doing it.
I’m sorry to hear about your father. It is great that social media can give voice to people who weren’t heard before. I do hope that if the ice bucket challenge comes back, those of us in California donate as opposed to dunk ice buckets over ourselves. I saw tons of ice bucket challenges from my friends in Los Angeles last year, and while I think making a social media video about how you will donate is great, Los Angeles can’t spare the water of tons of people dumping buckets over their head until the draught ends.
Absolutely hear you about that, Erica. The ALS Association has recommended dunking in anything you want from water/ice if you’re in a state like PA where we have been inundated to rain to buttons! Or, as you suggested, skipping that part and making a donation. I saw last year that Matt Damon used toilet water!
I have a lot of compassion for CA right now. We had so much rain up until a week ago that the yard was like a sponge. I wish we could redistribute!
Good on you, Rose, for going in for the dunk! I love the way we have created social events and challenges to help raise funds for various causes. ALS is one that can definitely use our support. Have fun on Saturday!
I was completely taken by surprise last year when this launched and spread across the world. I had friends in Britain, Germany and Italy who were aware and participating. Wow!
Cheers to you Rosemary! Such a worthy cause. I had a friend who succumbed to the disease many years ago when even less was known about it. So I join you and your support.
I’m sorry to hear about your friend, Jacquie. It is truly a terrible disease.