Ice Bucket challenge

Nurses General Nursing

Published

When I first heard about the Ice Bucket Challenge I thought Facebook and the media had lost their mind!

Then my family jumped on the band wagon and were challenging each other like crazy to take the challenge dump ice water over their head within 24 hours or donate $100 to ALS charity.

So of course I was challenged and I challenged! We also donated

The difference for us as a family was we already knew was ALS was, as my Uncle just died from complications of ALS. It was hard to watch a man who was big and strong as an OX being reduced to somebody who could no longer even feed himself within a matter of months.

He was first diagnosed with ALS about 18months ago, he kept tripping up and there was no reason for him to trip. So after many hospital appointments and visits he was diagnosed with ALS.

I am ashamed to admit I had never heard of it when my cousin told me, I had been a nurse for over 20 years, yet I was clueless.

For the majority of people I imagine the same is true

What a wonderful smart way of making the world stand up and listen than to challenge the world to be dumped with a bucket of ice!

Who could ever imagine that something so simple could raise awareness of an illness!

So when you think you can no longer bear to hear about 'The ice bucket challenge' remember the patients out there who need this money to be donated, in the hopes that there will be help for them in the future.

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Guest

0 Posts

Do I understand that the challenge is donate $100 *or* get doused with ice water? Seems like I shouldn't be seeing so many people posting pics of themselves drenched.

ALS is horrid disease... I spent weeks caring for an ALS pt at the end... Just brutal.

Originally you were supposed to donate $10 if you accept the challenge or $100 if you don't, but it has still raised millions of dollars for the charity.

ixchel

4,547 Posts

Specializes in critical care.

I'm bummed out that the part where you're supposed to donate has been left out of the vast majority of the videos I've seen. We lost a friend earlier this summer to ALS. It's truly one of the more horrific diseases out there. From first symptom to his passing, it was about 3 years. Three years of knowing. Three years of gradual paralysis. Then, three days of morphine and ventilation to say goodbye. So, so tragic.

RN403, BSN, RN

1 Article; 1,068 Posts

ALS was built into our curriculum so I have heard of it prior to being a nurse, I also have seen an ALS patient as a student - my heart broke for this poor individual.

I agree with ixchel, RN, it seems that while MANY have donated, many, see this more as the new "trend" and don't realize the seriousness behind ALS or the true meaning of this challenge. I still think it is a wonderful idea, it has shed light on this horrid disease, and has accumulated millions in donation money.

I am sorry for your loss. Great topic.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN

13,952 Posts

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

There have been some very good videos. This is a company an old friend works for (yes I know a rocket scientist/engineer ;). ) their site director is clear that all participating will be masking donations post drench (they are in the Mojave desert so he makes a point of clarifying they are using recycled water. They even recycled the water to make the ice)

jordiRN

41 Posts

I did the challenge, donated a small amount, and challenged several others to do the same. I know my $10 doesn't really amount to much in the grand scheme of things, but I think it's so wonderful how much awareness this social media trend has brought to such a devastating disease. ALS is on the radar of so many more people now than it has ever been before.

Also I've seen several videos of people with ALS or family of ALS patients who have done the challenge and express nothing but gratitude for the rise of this challenge and the spotlight it has put on this disease. So yes, my news feed is clogged up with videos of the ALS ice bucket challenge...but I don't mind one bit.

SmilingBluEyes

20,964 Posts

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Just donate the darn money. I like that awareness is raised, but it's becoming an attention grab for way too many. Only my opinion, of course.

NurseQT

344 Posts

Even if you don't donate, you are still getting the word out and that's just as important! The more people who know what ALS = more donations, funding, and people dedicated to finding a cure. I have a resident now who was just recently diagnosed, it's sad, she came in for PT/strengthening and instead of getting stronger she got weaker, to everyone it appeared that had just given up but since her diagnosis it makes since. I've seen her decline in just a matter of a few weeks... She has no strength to even turn in bed and can't use her hands very well, she'll be having a peg tube placed in about a week.. I'm going to a wedding this evening and my sister and I are going to do the challenge after the reception while we're still all in our dresses and heels!

AspiringNurseMW

1 Article; 942 Posts

I originally thought that it was annoying, and thought that people were doing the video just to grab attention, but seeing how much it has spread and the millions upon millions of dollars a simple Facebook challenge has raised I will not be one to complain. My boyfriend just did it and all the people he challenged did it and donated so in 24 hours we helped donate over $50. It might not seem like much but that X1000's of people is immense.

THIS is what social media is for, how it can really be used for a benefit. It is one of the most innovative and inspiring uses of Facebook I have seen to date.

Specializes in Addictions/Mental Health, Telemetry.

Thank you for all the comments!! I thought it was just me who noticed the tread of ice bucket challenges without so much as a mention about donations! I made the mistake of commenting about the same on facebook and got misunderstood. I had thought the challenge was a $100 donation or douse yourself with ice water. My facebook newsfeed is blowing up with ice bucket videos! As long as someone is donating (and apparently they are) and the awareness is raised. We raised over $1200 at my hospital.

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Guest

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My boyfriend just did it and all the people he challenged did it and donated so in 24 hours we helped donate over $50. It might not seem like much but that X1000's of people is immense.
Fitting the flame retardant...

Immense? Hardly...

$50,000 or even $250,000 is a drop in the research bucket.

Every bit helps but let's not kid ourselves with grandiose assessments of the impact.

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