Dubai: Residents have joined thousands of people around the globe who have posted videos on social media sites of themselves dumping buckets of ice water on their heads for a cause.
The ice bucket challenge is a new phenomenon that has gone viral online with the purpose of raising money and awareness for a neurodegenerative disease called ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). The disease affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, and eventually leads to death.
The new social media craze has many, including celebrities such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, posting a video of themselves drenched in ice water and then nominating three people to take up the challenge.
People nominated have 24 hours to complete the challenge and post their video on a social media site or donate $100 (Dh367) to the ALS Association in the US — many end up doing both.
Dubai resident Anthony Giordano, a Group Account Director at MEC Dubai, told Gulf News he may be the first person to bring the challenge to the emirate. After being nominated by his friend from New York, Giordano wanted to continue the momentum of the challenge by nominating his friends and colleagues in Dubai.
“My friend also personally challenged me to spread the message in Dubai since we hadn’t seen anyone here take the challenge yet,” he said.
Pouring a bucket of ice water on his head near the outdoor pool by his apartment, Giordano posted his video on Facebook and was surprised by how quickly the challenge spread among his friends, co-workers and extended network of people.
“It felt refreshing, then after the initial feeling it was entertaining to be a part of the movement,” he said, describing the challenge. Like many others, Giordano was interested in finding out more about the disease after accepting the challenge and making a donation. “I searched online and spoke with people about the disease, and I realised that quite a few people I know actually knew people who have the disease.”
Also nominated by a colleague at work, Sampada Tendulkar, a digital account manager, completed the challenge a few days ago at her work place in Dubai Media City. “I saw the videos on Facebook and I was rapidly motivated to take part in the challenge.” Tendulkar, who also made a donation to the cause, said she was taken aback by the intensity of the disease after researching about it online. “After reading about it, I realised I know someone whose friend had passed away from the disease and, since it has no cure, I think it is important to take part and help the foundation and the cause.”
According to the ALS Association, over 5,600 people in the United States are diagnosed with the disease each year, with most of then being between the ages of 40 and 70.
The disease affects the motor neurons that 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 affects the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement, which can lead to patients in the later stages of the disease becoming completely paralysed.
So far, the ALS Association announced that they have received $15.6 million in donations between July 29 and August 18. These donations have come from existing donors and 307,598 new donors to the Association.
