MDAO Forum

Support for People with Mood Disorders => General Discussion => Topic started by: Dragonfly on August 24, 2014, 09:11:39 pm

Title: Ice bucket challenge.
Post by: Dragonfly on August 24, 2014, 09:11:39 pm
Has anyone participated in this ice bucket challenge. I guess it is a great way to raise money for ALS. I emphasize with people that have this disease and have died from it. I only know of a few people that have died from it and they were not close to me.
What about the other diseases like cancer, mental illness, diabetes and heart disease. These diseases have touched people very close to me. I would rather donate to these charities. A lot of people are probably going to critize me for my views.
This ice bucket challenge has taken off. Do people really know what ALS is?

Dragonfly
 
Title: Re: Ice bucket challenge.
Post by: paulm on September 02, 2014, 09:22:00 pm
Hello Dragonfly. I had actually thought that I replied, but I guess I only thought that I did. Old age will do that to you LOL What I write below is certainly not a criticism of your views, I have a slightly different view, but I hope that's ok too.

 I don't mind when a charity comes up with a novel idea as long as the good stays there. This started out as a good thing, but people don't seem to realize that the challenge is " Pay 100 bucks or get ice water dumped over their heads. "  It seems to me that a lot of celebreties are getting ice water dumped over their heads and a lot of publicity for themselves, rather for the illness.

 I wouldn't partake in either/or, just because ALS is not my thing. Not that I can't sympathize with the people who have it, the average life span is 39 mths from onset of symptoms and there is no possibility of a cure. Occasionally someone will live a long time(scientist Steven Hawkins is a very rare exception).

 One of the problems with ALS is that in North America only about 35-40,00 people who are alive have it. In comparison there are several million of us with Bipolar at any given time.  I know that the drug mfg's are not knocking themselves out looking for a new med for bipolar and I know that the various Gov't are not looking for novel new ways to support those of us who have bipolar and with the exception of one think tank(Crest BD) I don't see very much original research being done by scientists about bipolar.

 That's with 2 million of us, I can only imagine how little research etc is being done for people with ALS.

   Has ice Challenge raised awareness? According to Wikipedia their article on ALS used to draw an average of 8000 hits a mth, (bipolar by comparison draws about 400,000 a mth) The peak # of hits in August for ALS was 27,000 in one day, it has since tampered off to about 1500 hits a day, but it still has increased awareness of ALS tremendously. (I searched only the English language articles)

 There has been criticism in the press that a lot of money has been donated to various ALS societies , when it could be going some place else more worthy(not my words).

 My own viewpoint is that any research on any illness linked to neurological problems is good for a lot of people.

 The ALS society in the USA have rec'd about 100 million bucks and while that sounds like a lot, it amounts to about 35 cents per American. But is big bucks for the ALS society, I hope that they use the money wisely. Take Care. paul m

 

 
Title: Re: Ice bucket challenge.
Post by: Dragonfly on September 06, 2014, 11:46:27 am
I don't mind that you have a slightly different point of view than I do about the ice bucket challenge. Actually with your information you have made me more knowledgeable (probably not spelt right) about ALS statistics and bipolar.
Your research on different matters is always good.

Dragonfly
Title: Re: Ice bucket challenge.
Post by: momfellinglost on September 07, 2014, 07:33:19 am
 It is a good cause and I had hoped that it would bring to the fore front that many illness aren't being researched. They used to call them orphans cause no one cared about them. They aren't sexy or popular and if there aren't enough people with them they don't  make money. Drug companies won't spend with out return no matter who much people ask. But it does seem that it has become a easy to post a video and while many do donate to the cause I am willing to bet many only go as far as the video.
Title: Re: Ice bucket challenge.
Post by: LuckyLou on October 02, 2014, 06:22:55 am
My uncle died of ALS so it is a cause that is close to my heart. I think the challenge was a novel way to spread the word about this terrible disease. I give regularly to ALS charities and hope that they are making some money off the challenge!