Thanks to my mate, Ben, I have jumped on the bandwagon and done my bit to raise awareness of the motor neuron charity. It was a great idea by the ALS charity to get this initiative underway. The power of the internet and social media can bring unprecedented results.
Videos of celebrities doing the challenge spread like wildfire around 10 days ago and then died down late last week. It was then picked up by the "normal" population and the baton has been passed to every Tom, Dick & Harry in the social media world over this Bank Holiday weekend.
It has been refreshing though - at last I have something other than internet memes on my Facebook! I just wished it wasn't such a cold and wet day when it was my turn...
This is all fun and games - especially for those watching who have had the good fortune not to be nominated... yet (watch out, it'll happen!). But at the heart of it we have a charity who are naturally promoting a very good cause. I didn't know too much about the charity before this craze but it sounds a horrible disease to suffer so any money the charity can get to fund a search for prevention and cure is very worthwhile.
From the charities website...
"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. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their 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."
According the website the Ice Bucket challenge has raised over $70million which is incredible. I imagine the charity could do with every extra penny so if you have not yet donated, I encourage you to do so. And maybe use this time to set up a monthly Direct Debit to some charities that you can relate to. It feels good to give and, needless to say, the charities will be very grateful for anything you can hand over.
If you believe in rules of Karma (what comes around, goes around) then by giving money you are setting yourself up for some potential good fortune in the future. So everyone wins.
Finally, Ben, the bast*rd who nominated me has started his own blog. He lives in Sydney, supports Man City, is a fan of Apple products, beer and gaming. He's also getting married next March. If you have mutual interests or are just a fan of eloquent writing with a sprinkle of wit then head over to his blog here.
