Another overnight sensation has suddenly arisen but this time it’s not nonsense, this one has a purpose and is for a superior cause. These past few weeks all over social media people have been nominating and posting videos of themselves doing the “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” to raise money and awareness for ALS but sadly not everyone is fully aware of what ALS really is and what people with this disease withstand every day. “I knew about Lou Gehrig’s disease beforehand but I did not realize how much ALS has affected the country and how many people suffer from this disease.” Explains Senior, Kyra Adams

ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or more commonly recognized as Lou Gehrig’s disease (named after a famous baseball player that was diagnosed with ALS). This sickness is rapidly progressive and effects certain nerve cells in the brain and also hurts the spinal cord, disabling various muscles. Occasionally enables your ability to communicate with your whole body except the eyes. The one and only treatment drug for ALS, is known as riluzole. This medication only extends survival for roughly 2 to 3 months. This fatal disease normally strikes people between 40 and 70 years of age. The life expectancy for someone who was diagnosed with ALS is somewhere between 2 to 5 years even with the medicine. ALS is highly hereditary and a huge family risk.

Even Dr. Gibson took a stand and accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge on Friday September 5, 2014 during the Homecoming Assembly, in front of the whole school. Dr. Gibson was nominated by Mr. Gentile and the boy’s baseball coaches but she believes that it was mostly Mr. Gentile’s suggestion to nominate her for the ice bucket challenge, although she participated in the event she has yet to donate to the cause in spite the fact that she plans to soon. Before this overnight sensation Dr. Gibson was aware of ALS and the effects it has on its patients, however she says “I don’t know anyone personally affected.” While the Ice Bucket Challenge has so far raised 88.5 million dollars for research. Gibson shares “It has raised awareness of a disease that many people were unaware of and has provided opportunities for communities to come together in a fun way.” As the ice bucket challenge continues to get more and more popular there will surely be even more money raised and donated to the cause.