Pat yourself on the back.
In an era when internet sensations come and go, most everyone has forgotten that last summer's Facebook Newsfeeds were flooded with the ice-cold water of the ALS challenge.
The movement, however, has made a lasting contribution to efforts to prevent, treat and cure the disease. A staggering $220 million was made as a result of the social media campaign, and scientists have told the
Washington Post that the money has already made a big difference.
Breakthroughs have been made in science's understanding of the debilitating condition this year that Phillip Wong, a researcher from John Hopkins, attributes to the increase of interest that followed the ice-bucket challenge campaign.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoLbdQi3MIg
"Without it, we wouldn't have been able to come out with the studies as quickly as we did," said Wong. "The funding from the ice bucket is just a component of the whole — in part, it facilitated our effort."
A protein has now been developed that scientists are hoping will slow down or perhaps even halt the disease.
A little cold water really doesn't seem so bad now, does it?
Clip via Teresina Bell.
