We often witness challenges on social media. Some of these challenges seem very meaningless, while others can even lead people to death. On rare occasions, these challenges can also have beneficial results: Ice Bucket Challenge is an example of this.
Since 2014, a social media challenge had begun to raise funds for the treatment of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). Participants who were poured icy cold water over their heads were also donating to ALS research. The total of these donations exceeded $2 million.
FDA approval for ALS drug
It was announced by the ALS Association that the drug with the code AMX0035, also known as Relyvrio, received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration FDA. Some of the funding for the research that makes this new treatment possible was received from donations from the popular challenge in 2014.
While there was no sharing about ALS at the beginning of 2014, the number of people speaking on the subject on Facebook reached 24 million on August 17 of the same year. With the participation of names such as Mark Zuckerberg, this challenge reached huge masses. After Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Nerflix CEO Reed Hastings and many celebrities were also involved in this challenge.
ALS disease is known as a neurological disorder, also called Lou Gehrig’s Disease in the literature. Although it has no effect on a person’s cognitive abilities, it occurs when nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that allow muscles to move are damaged. The reason why ice water is used in the challenge is that people with this disease cannot react even if they shiver and feel cold.
Let’s remember some famous names who participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge:
Cem Yilmaz
Mark Zuckerberg
Bill Gates
Elon Musk
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