People around the world have been doing the ice bucket challenge to bring awareness to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, a disease that was once unknown or ignored.
The ice bucket challenge, started by Boston College baseball player Pete Frates, aims to give just a taste of what it feels like to lose control of your muscles from ALS. The instructions are simple: dump a bucket of ice water on your head, challenge others to do the same and then donate $10 to the ALS Association. According to Huffington Post, the challenge has raised over $88.5 million, and donations are still flowing in.
“Before the challenge, I only knew about ALS in the back of my mind from a book I read for a summer reading project. The challenge got me to actually find out what it was,” senior Serena Thompson said.
From celebrities to sports teams to young children, people from all walks of life have come together to raise awareness and money. However, claims are surfacing that the challenge has turned into a way for people to draw attention to themselves instead of to the ALS cause.
“It’s disappointing that people will take an issue like this and use it to their advantage or make a joke out of it. I can see how you could have fun with it, but you need to understand why you’re doing it and what the motive for doing it is,” history teacher Jamie Coggins said.
ALS is not a disease that is unfamiliar to Coggins. He grew up with it being a presence in his everyday life when he was young. He was around to watch the disease run its course as he helped his mother care for his grandfather.
“I remember my grandad didn’t have the use of his muscles. My mom looked at the condition he was in with an upbeat attitude, and I would rub his feet. He always liked that. I had positive thoughts when I saw him lying in the bed and my mom caring for him,” Coggins said.
Coggins’ grandfather passed away when Coggins was eight years old. Even though he was young and did not fully understand what was happening, being able to experience the positive attitudes his mother and grandfather upheld shaped the way he viewed life.
“It always seemed like they were still upbeat and happy and trying to do the best that they could. It made me appreciative of life and living life to the fullest every day,” Coggins said.
Anyone can donate to the ALS association. Go to alsa.org, click the “donate” tab, and choose the amount to donate. Donations are tax-deductible, and there is an option to use the donation for research only.
“We’re trying to raise money and raise awareness. This is a terrible disease and it strikes many people. This is a great cause,” Coggins said.