Can dumping a bucket full of iced water on heads raise awareness about the

ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)?

Introduction

The recently popularized activity of pouring the bucket filled with ice cold water as a challenge against donating towards
the ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) has taken the world into a new vision of charity and donations. The ice-bucket
challenge had originated in United States with the social media spreading its virtues like a virus round the world. This
challenge has certain conditions as to either accept the challenge for pouring the bucket filled with ice and water or
donate to the ALS association. Now, this type of an activity though has gained popularity, yet it is being equally criticized
by many. Can dumping a bucket full of iced water on heads raise awareness about the ALS (Amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis)?

Yes

- The disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis was hardly recognised and understood by any. But today a lot of people
have got into the research of this disease.

- The number of donations to this trust is itself an example of the awareness of this medical condition.

- As termed by the Wikipedia During the challenge, hits to Wikipedia's article on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis grew from
an average of 8,000 hits a day to a peak of over 430,000 views on a single day (August 21st).

- The social media has done its job very well in spreading the awareness of this disease.

- As quoted in the newsletter The New York Times, people have used the facebook and twitter media a lot between
June and August in propagating the Ice-bucket challenge and thus the ALS. It is calculated to be more than 1.2 million
videos on Facebook and more than 2.2 million blogs mentioning this activity on twitter.

No

- The activity is more of a fun and a show-off, rather than the generous cause of charity for the foundation of ALS
patients.

- The challenge is mainly revolving around the public figures viz. politicians, celebrities, athletes etc. who have made the
challenge a medium to portray their power and re-establish their glory with the masses.

- Any genuine person concerned towards the ALS patients could generously donate just by hearing to the condition of
the patients, instead of making this a big buzz and business.

- The social media has made this ice-bucket challenge a way to increase their programme rating and developing their
own business, rather than spreading awareness regarding the disease.

- The challenge is going viral worldwide, and we are more concerned towards saving water. Is it of any worth wasting
buckets of ice and water for no concrete utility? Instead this could have been done by way of simple awareness
campaigns regarding the disease.

Conclusion

The Ice-Bucket Challenge is definitely a new way of generating charity, but is not all that practical. Though many people
try to know regarding this disease, still very few among them get ahead and go towards the noble cause of donating. It is
good for the social media to develop their channels and websites popularity, simultaneously creating awareness.
Though we cannot expect funds from every other person trying to know the disease condition, but yes, this programme
has definitely spread awareness regarding ALS amongst the masses.
RE: Can dumping a bucket full of iced water on heads raise awareness about ALS?
Pooja Kabra 09-2-2014 07:49 AM
I feel this practice has shown wonders in spreading awareness abt ALS...and spreaded as fast as an epidemic. Just lyk
the ice chain....some indians hav started the rice chain here...bt it has been misused by many celebs as a publicity stunt
.
RE: Can dumping a bucket full of iced water on heads raise awareness about ALS?
ROHIT JAISWAL 09-2-2014 12:29 PM
student of MBA
RE: Can dumping a bucket full of iced water on heads raise awareness about ALS?
ROHIT JAISWAL 09-2-2014 12:33 PM
fund rising is very difficult task for every one. in this sinerio ALS organisation want to rise awareness about ALS. so they
become creative for that they stat the ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE and they got the funds.
RE: Can dumping a bucket full of iced water on heads raise awareness about ALS?
Gaurav Tiwari 09-4-2014 12:17 PM
A term Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis flipped from a unknown to a known just because some of the most famous names
of the globe dumped a bucket of ice over them.
I feel that if any of the activity can gear up awareness n turn the people around to raise their hand of the help of the
needy then some way or other that activity behaved as a catalyst to turn the right reaction on.

if a ice bucket can raise the donation amount from $1.6 million to $15.6 million then why not.....
if a ice bucket can turn the number of hits from 8,000 hits to 430,000 views on wiki showing the raising awareness of
folks then why not.......

These ice bucket challenge have shown the world a new of of spreading the awareness and the participations of the
celebs made it even more popular
RE: Can dumping a bucket full of iced water on heads raise awareness about ALS?
Teena Bhatia 09-5-2014 03:16 AM
I would like to start the debate with a simple little fact. If we are discussing on this debate, the answer is clear. Dumping
a bucket full of iced water on heads activity has been successful in its objective. How many of you even knew about
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis before the start of this activity? Perhaps hardly few people knew about the problem.

Also, let us talk in terms of the funds collection for which the activity was started. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has
collected more than $100 million of funds. Almost more than 3 million people have contributed for ALS Association. The
fund generated is not a small amount. It is a significant amount that will be used for advanced research in fighting Lou
Gehrig's disease.

The challenge has gradually picked the pace. It started slow which raised only $2.8 million during July 29 to Aug. 29
2013. It started 2014 with collection of $26.3 million, which has just quadrupled in last few months. The speed with which
funds have quadrupled in last few months indicates the strength of the challenge.

The activity will serve as a message to all the other groups who want to do something good for society but cannot make
it due to lack of funds.
RE: Can dumping a bucket full of iced water on heads raise awareness about ALS?
krishnaraj 09-5-2014 01:21 PM
Today any event or program needs advertisement and publicity. Now-a-days people recognize things only which are
more attractive and enjoyable. This ice bucket challenge is similar case...I don't even know what is ALS before this ice
bucket challenge. Now I googled it to know what it is...this kind publicity is encouragable but up to a limit.
RE: Can dumping a bucket full of iced water on heads raise awareness about ALS?
Shalini Gupta 09-5-2014 03:14 PM
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.
RE: Can dumping a bucket full of iced water on heads raise awareness about ALS?
pinkyram 09-22-2014 05:32 AM
I Think the donation is good think for who are serve this fatal disease, but the way people are doing is not the
appropriate way because to taking ice bucket challenge is also a waste of a precious huge water .
there should be some innovative method which not waste water

RE: Can dumping a bucket full of iced water on heads raise awareness about ALS?
ankit sharma 09-22-2014 05:52 AM
Today any event or program needs advertisement
and publicity. Now-a-days people recognize
things only which are more attractive and
enjoyable. This ice bucket challenge is similar
case...I don't even know what is ALS before this
ice bucket challenge. Now I googled it to know
what it is...this kind publicity is encouragable but
up to a limit