Have you done the "ALS Ice Bucket Challenge"?

"I might have had a tough break, 
but I have an awful lot to live for."
~Lou Gehrig


"He was a symbol of indestructibility 
- a Gibraltar in cleats."
- Columnist, Jim Murray

Up until this evening, I hadn't done the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge personally but have enjoyed watching my friends and family as they post their videos and "nominate" their friends. One thing I haven't learned by watching all these fun and energetic videos is this, what does ALS stand for? If everyone is pouring ice water over their heads for this cause, shouldn't the emphasis be on what ALS is so we can better raise awareness and funds to help those affected. I know after I watched a few videos, I found myself on Google hoping to learn more about ALS.

According to the ALS Association's website, "Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed."  What is ALS?

---

"I might have had a tough break, 
but I have an awful lot to live for."
~ Lou Gehrig

One thing I learned rather quickely, ALS is also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease". This I had heard of, now I know the medical term. ALS, a disease affecting the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. With more than a million ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Videos on Facebook - awareness is spreading, or is it?

While not everyone doing the ALS ice bucket challenge is referencing Lou Gehrig's Disease or the impact of this disease  on one's nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord...according to one article, awareness and fundraising is skyrocketing! This is awesome news and the purpose of the challenge.

Depending on what source you look at, there has been between $3 and $5.5 million dollars raise since the latter part of June because of the ice bucket challenge. This is wonderful.

I've seen friends having a "Ice Bucket Challenge" party, with everyone bringing their own bucket and ice to the party. They did a group challenge with everyone dumping their ice water over their head (with the exception of the videographer of course) In addition to dumping the water, they took up a collection to donate to ALS too. How fun is this?

So whether you've done the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge or not, I hope this blog helpa you learn what ALS is, providea you with some helpful links to learn more, and encourages you to support ALS either monetarily or by increasing awareness. Regardless of which you choose, or if you do both, I hope those with ALS are encouraged by the outpouring of support for them through this initiative.

When I first wrote this blog, it read, "I haven't been nominated to do this challenge, although I've been asked, 'Lis, do you want to do the challenge. I'll nominate you.' by a friend. I told him 'No, thanks anyway.'" BUT, within the hours between writing this blog and posting it, my sister-in-law, Rose, nominated me and my husband's brother-in-law, Scott, and his cousin, Debbie, nominated him. So, instead of doing it as part of this blog ~ we did it as a couple because we were challenged. God has a sense of humor doesn't He? 

I'm thankful for the amazing friends and family I have in my life. I'm thankful for the health in my body and freedom from the intense pain patients affected by ALS live with on a daily basis. It is my absolute pleasure to be a tiny part of increasing awareness of ALS, aka "Lou Gehrig's Disease", and hopefully bring a smile to your face today. A special thanks to Mags for taping this for us.

Video may take a moment to load...thanks for your patience.

To dump ice water over one's head might seem silly to some
BUT if one of the millions of videos posted increases 
awareness that eases the burden on a family 
or raises the money to find a cure...
it's worth every ice cube.

Thanks for joining in the mission to raise awareness by sharing this blog with someone that might not know what ALS is.