Health News

What’s behind the #ALSIceBucketChallenge?

The #ALSIceBucketChallenge became a viral sensation because a lot of people are accepting the challenge, from Hollywood celebrities like (Jimmy Kimmel, Neil Patrick Harris, Matt Damon, Jennifer Garner, Chris Hemsworth etc.) to big personalities (Oprah, Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg).

#ALSIceBucketChallenge is...

The #ALSIceBucketChallenge deal is when someone was challenged by their friend, they would have to either donate $100 to the cause or post a video showing that they are dumping a bucket of ice water on his/her head to get out of donating, and that’s within 24 hours. But others break the deal now, they donate $100 and they also do the ice bucket challenge.

ALS or commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease…

According to ALS Association, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord and would eventually lead to 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.

A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. "A" means no or negative. "Myo" refers to muscle, and "Trophic" means nourishment–"No muscle nourishment." When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away.

Early symptoms of ALS often include

·         Increasing muscle weakness, especially involving the arms and legs, speech, swallowing or breathing.

·         When muscles no longer receive the messages from the motor neurons that they require to function, the muscles begin to atrophy (become smaller).

·         Limbs begin to look "thinner" as muscle tissue atrophies.

ALS matters…

The real issue here is to raise awareness and funds for ALS, according to Huffingtonpost.com, and collaborating for a good cause, whether you put a bucket of ice over your head or donate money, is a win-win.

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One of famous personalities who suffered and died from ALS:

James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter - (April 8, 1946 - September 9, 1999)

Hunter became the highest paid pitcher in baseball when he signed with the Yankees in 1975. Hunter refused higher offers from the San Diego Padres and the Kansas City Royals to sign with the New York Yankees. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. Hunter died at his home in Hertford, North Carolina, in 1999. He had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease", at the time.