ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Returns In August
by The Daily Eye Team August 4 2015, 4:02 pm Estimated Reading Time: 1 min, 2 secsALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. For unknown reasons, veterans are twice as likely to develop ALSas the general population. There is no cure, and only one drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) modestly extends survival.
On Friday, MLB, the Boston Red Sox and representatives of several ALS organizations including The ALS Association joined co-founders Pete Frates and Pat Quinn at Fenway Park in Boston to launch this year’s global social media effort to raise awareness and funds to put an end to this cruel disease.
“We are so thrilled and grateful to have every Major League Baseball team supporting us this year,” said Frates, a former Boston College baseball player and team captain. “Pat and I can’t wait to kick things off this Friday at Fenway. As the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge hits every ballpark around the country, we hope it will get bigger and bigger.”