My ALS/MND Ice Bucket Challenge

I'm sure most of you have seen the Ice bucket challenge floating around social networking sites and the internet recently. However for those of you who don't know, the ALS Ice bucket challenge is a campaign which aims to raise awareness and money for ALS - similar to the "No Make-up Selfie" campaign for Breast Cancer. 

ALS -  Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis which is also referred to as Motor neurone disease - is a disease that effects the nerve cells in the brain, spinal cord and muscles throughout the body. According to the ALS Association  symptoms include: 

• muscle weakness in one or more of the following: hands, arms, legs or the muscles that control speech, 
  swallowing or breathing
• twitching and cramping of muscles - especially those in the hands and feet
• impairment of the use of the arms and legs
• "thick speech" and difficulty in projecting the voice
• in more advanced stages - shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and swallowing

ALS is a relativity rare condition with roughly 5,000 people in the UK and 30,000 people in the USA being effected. However there is currently no cure and the treatments that are available are only there to help ensure the patient is as comfortable as possible (for example with a breathing mask to reduce shortness of breath). 

Unfortunately the condition strikes it's victims fast and is a severely life shortening condition for most people. The NHS states that life expectancy for about half of those with the condition is three to four years from the start of symptoms. However, some people may live for up to 10 years, and others even longer. Perhaps the most famous example of this comes from Professor Steven Hawking - who has currently survived with the condition for over fifty years. 

Source

The challenge itself started after a baseball player with the condition -  Pete Frates - volunteered to have a bucket of ice and water poured over himself. Following this many public figures and celebrities - including Josh Hutchinson, Victoria Beckham, Tom Cruise, Anna Kendrick, Ben Afleck and Cheryl Cole  (to name a few) - have joined in too. 

                                            

Sources - AK, CC, JH

The Ice Bucket Challenge Rules: 

• After being nominated (or if you haven't been nominated but fancy starting your own chain - the more the merrier) you have 24 hours to complete the challenge
• Next you must upload a video - in which you state that you are doing the challenge, say your nominations (I think it started as 2 or 3 but I haven't stuck to this so I say how ever many you like and tip the ice and water mixture over your head
• Finally - Donate!
  This can be done in different ways which vary dependent on where you're located.
  Here in the UK donations go to the Motor Neuron Disease Association (MND). This can be through their Just Giving Page which can be found here, by texting ICED55 followed by the amount (e.g. £5) to 70070 or by calling  01604 611860 and referencing the 'Ice Bucket Challenge'. 
  In the US you can click here  to go to the ALS official page or I'm sure there are ways in which you can text to donate too - (sorry I did try and find out but couldn't seem to find a number).

My challenge:

Here's a few photos from my challenge - which I completed earlier on today. You can find a shorter version of the video on my Instagram (as I rambled on nearly a minute in the actual video on my Facebook, nominating half my friends haha!). 

Just a tad chilly! 

Now.. I nominate YOU yes that's right - you to take part in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. It's all for a good cause - so lets raise both money and awareness for this heartbreaking condition! 

Leave me a comment below if you've completed the challenge - I'd love to see! 

xxx