Ice Bucket Challenge Revival For Mental Health Sparks Controversy Among Als Community

The Ice Bucket Challenge is back, but this clip for a caller cause.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that went mega-viral successful nan summertime of 2014 had much than 17 cardinal group connected societal media, and moreover celebrities connected talk shows, dumping crystal h2o complete their heads.

The challenge, supported by nan ALS Association, was intended to raise consciousness of nan disease. It yet raised $115 cardinal toward ALS investigation and diligent care.

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Eleven years later, nan Ice Bucket Challenge has been revived by USC Mind, nan University of South Carolina’s Mental Illness Needs Discussion club.

Guests connected "The Tonight Show pinch Jimmy Fallon" participated successful nan Ice Bucket Challenge connected Aug. 12, 2014. (Douglas Gorenstein/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)

In support of a instauration called Active Minds, nan country's largest mental health nonprofit for teens and young adults, nan USC group launched nan #SpeakYourMind Ice Bucket Challenge.

The situation is taking disconnected connected societal media and has raised astir $400,000 connected nan event’s fundraising site.

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The inclination revival has sparked immoderate contention for taking attraction distant from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), besides known arsenic Lou Gehrig’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative illness that affects nervus cells successful nan encephalon and spinal cord.

The mean life expectancy aft ALS test is typically 2 to 5 years, according to nan ALS Association.

Brooke Eby, an ALS diligent and influencer, posted a video connected societal media pinch nan caption, "Watching group bargain nan ALS crystal bucket situation for a different origin erstwhile ALS still doesn’t person a cure and is 100% fatal. Fuming."

The ALS Association and Active Minds announced they're teaming up successful nan caller Ice Bucket Challenge for nan period of May, which is some Mental Health Awareness Month and ALS Awareness Month. (Abigail Breuchert)

Michael Stone, different contented creator and ALS patient, said retired astir nan effect nan situation had connected the ALS community.

"It is much than a trend," he printed successful an infographic. "The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge changed lives."

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"Raising consciousness for ALS is important because it leads to funding, and backing leads to research," Stone wrote. "What started arsenic a viral situation grew into thing acold greater: a worldwide effort that’s backing life-changing investigation and giving dream to those affected by this devastating disease."

Brian Frederick, nan ALS Association's main trading and communications officer, shared nan organization’s support for nan revived movement.

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"We’re thrilled to spot young group taking up nan tone of activism for mental health, but we besides want group to cognize that ALS is still fatal and urgently needs a cure," Frederick said successful a connection to Fox News Digital.

"Mental wellness is an important rumor successful nan ALS community, fixed nan devastating physical, affectional and financial toll that ALS takes connected full families."

Frederick commented that nan original ALS Ice Bucket Challenge "dramatically accelerated" nan conflict against ALS, which led to "new genes discovered, new treatments successful nan pipeline" and a important summation successful attraction services.

Since nan challenge, nan ALS Association has invested much than $150 cardinal successful ALS research, followed by astir $1 cardinal successful further ALS investigation funding, according to Frederick.

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"We still person a agelong measurement to spell to move ALS from fatal to livable and cure it, but we’re grateful to everyone for taking nan Ice Bucket Challenge and raising consciousness of ALS and intelligence health," he added.

A group of kids dumps buckets of crystal h2o their heads connected nan 5th day of nan ALS Ice Bucket Challenge connected July 15, 2019, successful Boston, Massachusetts.     (Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)

Cathy Cummings, CEO of nan International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations, noted that galore group pinch ALS and their caregivers tin look "serious intelligence wellness challenges," specified arsenic depression and anxiety.

"Using nan Ice Bucket Challenge to raise consciousness astir intelligence wellness supports our organization arsenic well," she told Fox News Digital. "We would for illustration to clasp abstraction for aggregate people’s experiences, without needing to prime which is much deserving." 

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In a property merchandise connected Thursday, some nan ALS Association and Active Minds announced they're teaming up successful this caller Ice Bucket Challenge for nan period of May, which is some Mental Health Awareness Month and ALS Awareness Month.