Ice Bucket Challenge – Positive Initiative

ICE Bucket Challenge –Positive Initiative  

ICE Bucket challenge have generated a lot of visibility of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Thanks to the social Media and positive initiate by  Millions . Images and videos were shared of people dousing themselves with ice filled water on volunteering themselves and nominating others. Donations for a great the cause and millions of dollars was raised which was sent to a few organizations doing research for this disease. Even though this online activism has gained worldwide recognition and generated a lot of donations, it has not escaped its share of criticism.

                Not everyone thought that the challenge was positive, the fact that it raised little for the foundations doing research even though the celebrities were the part of the campaign.  Even though the President George Bush to lady Gaga had helped to raise  $ 41.8 Mn to fight diseases, which  was 20 times higher than the previous year , but it was  still not sufficient  for the research to develop the drug for the disease . The campaign also slowed down. Even President Barack Obamad declined to make monetary  donations.

Even though the video challenge generated worldwide craze, the donations were localized to US based groups. People did not associate groups in their local countries, or highlight the condition and trauma faced by the patients. Even the celebrities, which included politician’s world over, actors, sportspersons, did little for the actual cause of the disease or its research development. After the craze had died down, no one even bothered to check the status of the foundation, their research or development.  Celebrities just jumped onto the bandwagon to get some do good brownie points while the craze was on. Still there is a hope as the people has been doing for good cause and strongly feel that campaign will  never die down even it has gone slowed temporarily . The efforts of the people will not go in vein and the research must continue. Some innovative idea should hit the campaign again for sure as ice bucket concept was amazing campaign.

Word count: 397 ,CHANDER BAJAJ

Gurgaon , S17MMMMM000539