Ice Bucket Challenge

The Ice Bucket Challenge also known as ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, is an activity that involve dumping a bucket of ice water on one's head, posting that video to social media, then nominating others to do the same. The activity is done to promote awareness of the disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and encourage donations to research for ALS Association. ALS disease was first found in 1869 by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. In 1939 Lou Gehrig brought national and international attention to the disease. Approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. As of now the Ice Bucket Challenge donations reach $62.5 Million this year.

The challenge is thought to be start by Pete Frates, a former Boston College baseball player. He helped to make the “Ice Bucket Challenge” go viral on the social sites Face book and Twitter. He was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. On July 31 2014, he challenged some friends and celebrities to take the ice bucket challenge to “strike out ALS.” Thus the process continues one from another. The challenge is also popularized through social media like face book, twitter etc. Lots of celebrities take parts in the activity from awareness and donation across the globe. This is a creative way to spread ALS awareness via social media and in communities nationwide.

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