Ice Bucket Challenge Makes a Comeback: Advocates Rekindle the Original Movement

PORT CLINTON, Ohio (WTVG) - The ice bucket challenge has made a comeback on social media platforms, with individuals dousing themselves in cold water to increase awareness and funds for various causes. However, some folks want to bring attention back to the origin of this challenge.

Earlier this year, a group of college students began using the ice bucket challenge to increase consciousness about mental well-being It has rapidly gained popularity online amongst younger generations lately.

However, the challenge has deep ties to another cause: ALS.

"Ice Bucket Challenge wasn’t merely an event; it was a movement," stated Lisa Bruening, who leads care services at the ALS Association’s Northern Ohio chapter.

Bruening has been with the ALS Association for years. She said 2014 was a year that stood out for the organization. It was the year that a group of ALS patients created the ice bucket challenge.

Prior to the trend being established, the ALS Association anticipated raising approximately $2 million per year. In the year the Ice Bucket Challenge was introduced, the organization managed to raise an impressive $115 million.

"Totally transformed how we could offer care to families here," Bruening stated.

The financial support assisted ALS patients in receiving treatment and enabled research aimed at discovering a cure. At present, neither the origin nor the remedy for ALS has been identified.

A motor neuron disorder robs individuals of their capacity to walk, speak, consume food, and even breathe.

The ALS ice bucket challenge has always been a big deal, but recently, the ice bucket challenge has been going viral again as young people started to do the challenge to raise awareness for mental health.

Bruening mentioned that she understands how closely linked the ice bucket challenge remains with raising awareness about ALS. She supports individuals coming together for mental health causes too. Bruening pointed out that mental health issues can also affect both ALS patients and their families.

“We are for any movement, any awareness that goes viral that causes more people to get involved and energized,” Bruening said.

However, certain members of the ALS community harbor some concerns. They aim to ensure that individuals recall the origin of the challenge.

"Individuals like me who have ALS feel strongly about the ice bucket challenge; it has made a significant impact on our lives," stated Roseann Hickman, an ALS patient.

Hickman, a resident of Port Clinton and a mother as well as a grandmother, received an ALS diagnosis in 2022. Due to the loss of her speech capability caused by the disease, she utilizes a mobile app for communication purposes.

The illness advances over time and typically causes paralysis within just a few years after being diagnosed.

She stated that the ice bucket challenge serves not only as a means of raising awareness but also as a representation of what ALS actually does.

It also highlighted the impact of living with ALS," Hickman stated. "Our bodies become immobilized.

Hickman stated that she doesn’t wish for ALS awareness to be overshadowed by the broader message. As a strong supporter of raising ALS awareness, she mentioned that bringing attention specifically to this condition might encourage more individuals to contribute financially or campaign for research that could lead to finding a cure.

I believe it's crucial for individuals to grasp that our core essence remains unchanged," Hickman stated. "Although I can no longer engage in activities I once enjoyed, I am still present, my mental faculties remain unimpaired, and I'm capable of experiencing feelings.

She keeps battling to eradicate ALS.

The leaders of the ALS Association and the mental health advocacy group Active Minds have announced their collaboration for the ice bucket challenge. They aim to bring attention to both causes simultaneously.

For more information about ALS, click here . For information about ALS advocacy, click here .

Latest Local News | First Alert Weather | Crime | National | 13abc Originals