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.
“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.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
