Ice Bucket Challenge – A fad or a voluntary action?
Yes, that Question really seems to fit the situation aptly.
There are numerous rumors and humors (I mean what I said) spreading across the social medias each day. Even I have wondered whether its really good for something. Well this video made me think over it.
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. It eventually results in paralysis and have a life expectancy of 10-15 years after being diagnosed. ALS cannot be "caught," or transmitted from one person to another. The causes of the vast majority of ALS cases are still unknown. Investigators theorize that some individuals may be genetically predisposed to developing the disease, but only do so after coming in contact with an environmental trigger. The research and developmenst are still in a progressing rate which needs a huge funding.
A number of criticisms have arisen relating to the campaign, accusing it of being self-congratulatory, focusing primarily on fun. Rather than sharing a post or merely sympathizing while seeing a post or a victim is not that we can do all about when it comes to Cancer or AIDS. I have come across some people commenting that it’s affected in the Northern hemisphere of the world, it’s not yet affected in India, so why should we bother about that? Is that an apt question? Disease and virus are everywhere. We can’t predict anything, anytime. Rather the ALS Association has put an initiative for a good cause with the message “Create a World with no ALS”. Rather than going for a fund raising stage show or a toll-check, they have launched a campaign idea and all the celebrities accepted and consented to be a part of it just to show the humanity in them. It’s not the point that they can’t donate the money as such, that little time of dedication and the suffering (Freezing in ice) itself shows that they care about the world and that too in their really busy schedules.
Apart from mocking others, ask yourself what can you do for others, the poor, the victims? If you can’t figure out the answer, take out the ice cubes and dump it in your head and do the very little that you can do for others. And for those, who still don’t know about ALS:
The Ice Bucket Challenge, sometimes called the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, is an activity involving dumping a bucket of ice water on someone's head to promote awareness of the disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and encourage donations to research.
Within 24 hours of being challenged, participants have to record a video of themselves in continuous footage. They are to announce their acceptance of the challenge followed by pouring ice into a bucket of water. Then, the bucket is to be lifted and poured over the participant's head. Then the participant can call out a challenge to other people.Whether people choose to donate, perform the challenge.In one version of the challenge, the participant is expected to donate money if they have poured the ice water over their head or donate $100 if they have not.In another version, dumping the ice water over the participant's head is done in lieu of any donation, Individual videos have included the participant saying that they will be making a donation along with performing the challenge.
The Ice Bucket Challenge went viral on social media and became a pop culture phenomenon, particularly in the United States, with numerous celebrities, politicians, athletes, and everyday Americans posting videos of themselves online and on TV participating in the event. We can see many Indian celebrities and Start-ups joining the cause.
Awareness is a dangerous word. You can spend a ton of effort to raise awareness with only minimal effect on research efforts and patients’ health. And that is how the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge can prove it is different.
Now you see how the ice bucket challenge is different: It’s about a specific disease not a broad category like cancer and there is a clear call for donations. To pass on the meme without the mention of donations seems kind of selfish, and so far people seem to be passing it on. In the original challenge, a friend tags you to donate $100 OR dump ice water on your head. I’ve seen people saying they donated AND dumped water, or others say they couldn’t afford $100 but donated $10. Money talks: as a fundraiser, it worked.Malaria is not the only tropical disease to re-emerge in Venezuela. Dengue cases are increasing and there are serious concerns about chikungunya spreading from the Caribbean.There have been shortages in the national stockpile of antimonial drugs for treating leishmaniasis, and we learned of an unresolved problem with urban schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mansoni.We have used the term blue marble health to highlight the unexpectedly high prevalence and incidence rates of neglected tropical diseases in the G20 and other wealthy economies. The term mostly applies to diseases striking concentrated areas of intense poverty in these countries. The concepts of blue marble health certainly apply to Venezuela but we may now also be seeing a significant re-emergence of tropical infections in recent years.
And thus, I, Deena Venugopal, the CEO of Anabytes has supported and accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and did my part.
And a One-minute silence to all those who still regard ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is still a fad or fun kinda element.
