Gaia
27th July 2016, 18:11
Two year ago, icy water inundated the Internet in what may have been the online equivalent of the largest chain letter ever the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. In endless autoplaying Facebook videos, people hoisted buckets filled with ice water, announced their philanthropic intentions, and upended the buckets over their heads. Breathless, they would nominate a few friends, demanding that they do the same upon penalty of a charitable donation to ALS.
The Ice Bucket Challenge was immensely successful a break to the Internet phenomenon that spread all the way up to President Obama.
According to the national chapter of the ALS Association (ALSA), the challenge brought in a staggering $115 million. Participants also donated an additional $13 million to the association’s regional branches.
Want some good news for terrible times ?
It seems the Ice Bucket Challenge viral fundraiser for ALS research has yielded identification of a common gene amongst 15,000 ALS patients. It's still early days for this research, but it's progress: progress funded as the result of a viral phenomenon.
I have to say: I did not expect such a beneficial outcome! Usually, I don't much care for viral challenges to raise awareness about disease, etc because it always seems nothing much changes or happens after their popularity is passed. I am pleased to see otherwise.
Gaia
Source :http://www.alsa.org/news/media/press-releases/significant-gene-discovery-072516.html
P.S. my dad battled Lou Gehrig's disease during 8 years (ALS)
The Ice Bucket Challenge was immensely successful a break to the Internet phenomenon that spread all the way up to President Obama.
According to the national chapter of the ALS Association (ALSA), the challenge brought in a staggering $115 million. Participants also donated an additional $13 million to the association’s regional branches.
Want some good news for terrible times ?
It seems the Ice Bucket Challenge viral fundraiser for ALS research has yielded identification of a common gene amongst 15,000 ALS patients. It's still early days for this research, but it's progress: progress funded as the result of a viral phenomenon.
I have to say: I did not expect such a beneficial outcome! Usually, I don't much care for viral challenges to raise awareness about disease, etc because it always seems nothing much changes or happens after their popularity is passed. I am pleased to see otherwise.
Gaia
Source :http://www.alsa.org/news/media/press-releases/significant-gene-discovery-072516.html
P.S. my dad battled Lou Gehrig's disease during 8 years (ALS)