Back in 2014, social media outlets went crazy over people dumping massive amounts of ice-cold water over their heads. What started out as something small in support of ALS sparked a national phenomenon of everyone across the nation taking part in the challenge. Celebrities such as Facebook CEO & Founder Mark Zukerberg, Oprah, Charles Barkley, President Bush, Ellen Degeneres, Pharrell, Kim Kardashian-West, Steph Curry, Bill Gates, Jimmy Fallon, The Roots, NFL Sport icons, and countless other celebrities got in on the extremely cold and fun challenge, as well.
It was pretty amazing to see people’s reactions after that cold bucket of ice water hit their bodies for the first time. This went on for quite some time and then it died down, just as every other fad usually does. While the challenge was fun and seemed to be geared for a good cause, others became outraged as gallons and gallons of water were being wasted effortlessly. But this was no “fad” and not some random thing that someone got started just so 17 million people could post videos of themselves getting shaken and drenched by mere water. According to CNN, those moments of dread has paid off in a huge way.
Due to the massive challenge donations, ALS found a significant gene discovery that could potentially bring them many steps closer to finding a cure for the disease. Per ALS’s official site, the ALS gene, NEK1, ranks among one of the most common genes that contribute to the disease, providing scientists with another potential target for therapy development.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which leads to total paralysis and death, usually within two to five years of diagnosis.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge enabled The ALS Association to invest the money so large amounts of ALS Bio-samples could be produced. This is great news for the ALS community and for everyone that participated in the challenge.
The next time a challenge arises and before you think, “It’s just another fad,” think again. As you can see, money raised, really does support the cause in which its being done for and can become a cure for someone whom need it most.
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