RE: The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge... Ive been seeing a ton of these Ice Bucket Challenges go across Facebook and other social media recently, and this event brings up quite a bittersweet view for me. As my genetic family knows, but not too many other people know, my father suffered from ALS years ago. For those who dont know what ALS is - the short version is that its a neuromuscular disease that literally traps a person in their body. You start losing some minor muscle control. It could be anything - ranging from speech miscues to dropping cups and plates at random. From there, you slowly lose other things you normally have control of. Eventually, you are an active mind kept alive by the best medical technology and chemistry you can afford to get...but youre trapped in a body that cant respond to your commands. You become dependent on others to do everything - from wiping your butt to feeding you to whatever. Eventually, unless your body is kept alive by external machines, your body gives up. To witness this first hand is probably one of the most helpless and depressing things to watch. And - its played out over YEARS. What I find really disturbing is this. At last (estimated) count, over 15 million views of various challenges over social media have occurred. Of which, 2.5 million dollars have been generated for ALS and Motor Neuron disease research. Now, Im not really griping about 2.5 million dollars. What I am concerned is that for those 15 million views, if everyone who did the challenge took the cost of ice and water (2 bucks???) and donated it, wed have tons more. Ive debated about doing the challenge. Ive debated about getting a bag of ice, a 5 gallon bucket, and some water, and doing it in front of my GoPro. But, while it may make more awareness - what we really need is more funding. So - I challenge people to this. Take the two bucks youd normally do to create the challenge, and donate it to the ALS Association. Ive provided the link below, and Ive donated what I would have spent on ice to the ALS Association. Because, wouldnt it be far better to have 15 million dollars than 2.5 million for the researchers? alsa.org/
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 00:06:30 +0000
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