ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects neurons (nerve cells) in the brain and the spinal cord.
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The Red Sox joined Pete Frates and Pat Quinn, co-founders of the challenge, in relaunching the successful fundraising campaign Friday at Fenway Park.
The Ice Bucket Challenge raises money for research into neuromuscular disease ALS. It can lead to muscle weakness, lose of the use of arms and legs and difficulty breathing, speaking and swallowing. It involves pouring a bucket of ice cold water onto someone’s (or your own) head, then challenging others to do the same. Major League Baseball is also donating $100,000 to The ALS Association.
There is no known cure for the disease, which is inevitably fatal.
The ALS Society of Quebec is trying to make the ice bucket challenge a viral phenomenon for the second straight year. Many recorded themselves doing the challenge and posted the video to Facebook or Twitter as proof they completed it. The co-founder says he wants to keep it going every August until there is a cure.
The ALS Association has created resources to help people interested in participating in the challenge this year, including a humorous infographic and instructional video.
“MDA takes a big-picture perspective to fight ALS – investing in research to find breakthroughs that will lead to treatments and cures, caring for people from day one at our specialized clinics, and helping ALS families in hometowns across America live longer, stronger lives”, said MDA President and CEO Steven M. Derks.
“That’s a lesson to all of us”.
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The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease on every front.
