Ice Bucket Challenge: A game to aid research in Lou Gehrig’s disease
updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:52
From Mark Zuckerberg to Bill Gates and Lebron James – all of them have poured a bucket of ice water on their heads to raise awareness for Lou Gehrig’s disease. Would you do the same?
It was believed that trendy challenges on social networks ended after the failed Neknomination drove teens to drink too much too soon. But in recent weeks, the Ice Bucket Challenge has re-ignited this social media craze again – this time for a good cause. The principle behind it? Pour a bucket of ice water on yourself and nominate three others to do the same. At first glance, it looks pretty silly. Yet many personalities in Silicon Valley (Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Jeff Bezos of Amazon), Hollywood (Mickey Rourke, The Rock) and in the sports world (Lebron James, Neymar, Ronaldo) have gladly lent themselves to the game. That is of course in addition to celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Rita Ora, Kylie Jenner, Jennifer Lopez, Robert Downey Jr. and many more.
For a good cause
If these individuals have agreed to suffer a bit, that is because the act is intended to promote the fight against Lou Gehrig‘s disease or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This neurodegenerative disease affects nerve cells in the brain and leads to progressive paralysis of the limbs. Death usually occurs 2-5 years after the detection of the disease, for which there is currently no treatment. In a statement released on August 16, ALS, an American organization that fights against Lou Gehrig’s disease and who thought of this challenge, said they had already raised $11.4 million against 1.7 last year in the same period. Those are some record amounts for this little known disease. The question is are you ready to take on the Ice Bucket Challenge?
Maureen DIAMENT
