9 Things You Should Know about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge [LIST]

The coolest thing to do this summer is to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, both literally and figuratively. In an effort to raise money and awareness to the ALS Association, millions of people are recording themselves throwing a bucket of ice water on their head, donating $10 and challenging others to the same. If a person doesn’t take an icy dip, then the rules say that they need to donate $100 to ALS research.  Find out more about this good doing craze and perhaps take the plunge yourself!

1. Over 1.2 million people have created unique videos of themselves performing the ALS Ice Bucket challenge.

2. ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, leading to loss of muscle control and paralysis.

3. Since July 29, The ALS Association national office reported collecting $13.3 million in donations and counting, compared to $1.7 million during the same time period last year. 

4. The origins of the challenge have multiple sources with some saying that it started with golfer Chris Kennedy, and others citing former Boston College baseball player Pete Frates who has ALS as the originator.

5. In the United States, ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease and is named after the hall-of-fame New York Yankees baseball player who contracted the disease in the 1930s.

6. Ethel Kennedy, Justin Bieber, Lebron James and “Weird” Al Yankovic challenged President Barack Obama. He declined to record himself taking the icy splash, but donated $100 to the ALS Association. 

7. In the UK and Australia, ALS is referred to as motor neurone disease (MND), and in France it is called maladie de Charcot after the French doctor Jean-Martin Charcot who first discovered it in 1869. 

8. The popularity of the Ice Bucket Challenge is due to three factors: doing good feels good, it’s a fun and easy task and it’s social media friendly.

9. A ton of celebs have heeded the call, but the star of the bunch with the most viral video numbering over 5 million views is none other than Bill Gates.  

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