ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

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I think it's fine to decide not to participate or donate. But I don't understand the criticism. The water being "wasted" is quite small in most cases and it's not like it was going to be flown to Africa if it wasn't used. It's a "fun" exercise that raises awareness of an awful disease (we lost my Uncle to it) and the reason they use ice water is because that is how a person with ALS feels all the time. It's also a way that people can donate what amount they can rather than a silent auction or an expensive lottery ticket with high admin costs. Hospitals have the big lotteries and telethons, heart and stroke has Jump Rope for Heart, etc. It would be no different that people criticizing Clara Hughes ride for mental health because it took resources to run it and didn't actually raise many funds (when we went to an event we didn't even see a place to donate). I haven't done it, but I will donate to support my friends and family who have done it. I will try to find a support group because I think that is something that is lacking.
 
Justme said:
I think it's fine to decide not to participate or donate. But I don't understand the criticism. The water being "wasted" is quite small in most cases and it's not like it was going to be flown to Africa if it wasn't used. It's a "fun" exercise that raises awareness of an awful disease (we lost my Uncle to it) and the reason they use ice water is because that is how a person with ALS feels all the time. It's also a way that people can donate what amount they can rather than a silent auction or an expensive lottery ticket with high admin costs. Hospitals have the big lotteries and telethons, heart and stroke has Jump Rope for Heart, etc. It would be no different that people criticizing Clara Hughes ride for mental health because it took resources to run it and didn't actually raise many funds (when we went to an event we didn't even see a place to donate). I haven't done it, but I will donate to support my friends and family who have done it. I will try to find a support group because I think that is something that is lacking.
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Each bucket holds just a small amount of water - true.

Now add them all up together.

The criticism - though - hasn't only been about the water. Some are also critiquing where the funds are being donated to. Some of the researchers are using fetal stem cells in their work.
 
True - add up all the resources used to support large charity causes (my Mom buys those lottery tickets and probably gets four mailings a season to buy again....that's a lot of GHG emissions and tree cutting, not to mention financial resources). The water we don't use here in Canada doesn't go to someone who needs it.

I also don't understand the stem cell argument...I am trying very hard to be tolerant and non-judgemental but I really don't understand. Fetal stem cells are thrown out as medical "waste" if not donated for research or stored in case they are needed at a later time. Would God really want a piece of a human thrown out when it could be used to help another human? It was never going to be a complete human being (we don't usually go around making new babies out of fetal stem cells).
 
Justme said:
The water we don't use here in Canada doesn't go to someone who needs it.
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There's only so much water in the world Justme. If people are spilling it on the ground here - they're not drinking it over there - where they're dying of drought.

Justme said:
I also don't understand the stem cell argument...I am trying very hard to be tolerant and non-judgemental but I really don't understand. Fetal stem cells are thrown out as medical "waste" if not donated for research or stored in case they are needed at a later time. Would God really want a piece of a human thrown out when it could be used to help another human? It was never going to be a complete human being (we don't usually go around making new babies out of fetal stem cells).
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Embryonic stem cell research involves the death of an innocent unborn person. It's a big deal for those of us who are pro-life.
 
Here's a plain english explanation of the procedure



These stem cells do not come from a fetus (which is 11-weeks-old)

They do not come from something that can become a human being outside of the mother

They come from a blastocyst (5-days-old, around 200-300 cells)

So, I guess to be precise, they are human blastocyst stem cells :)
 
Jae, are you also against research using stem cells from umbilical cords? Maybe I didn't realize it was embryos (I still don't agree with your belief, but I can wrap my head around it a bit better).
 
ALS is a dreadful disease - I've lost a sister to it.
I donate regularly to a research fund here in Oz.

The ice bucket challenge may perhaps promote awareness of this little known disease - but the cynic in me thinks it will be forgotten when folks tire of the gimmick of covering themselves in cold water and taking a selfie.

Donate if you wish to - but leave the water in the tap.....


My general thoughts on charity - select a few charities to donate to (usually ones that have impacted on your family, close friends, or ideals).
It's not possible to support all worthy causes, but if everyone was prepared to do this, research would benefit.


A broader philosophical question is why is it that we humans need gimmicks to motivate us so much? (Pink for breast cancer, growing moustaches for men's depression, ice bucket for ALS etc etc)
 
@Pr. Jae: "Which may not be important to you. Some of us believe life begins at conception."

I'm just giving the facts for people here, sweetie -- any conflict with your beliefs is your problem (y)

Your problem is that you keep crying wolf here...no one believes you anymore. That is your problem.
 
:LOL:

that's certainly quality over quantity of life...


heck, maybe we're witnessing the birth of a new religion here...

just waiting for a Paul to have a hallucination and take it to the ultimate level

the church of ALS -- all hail the icy bucket, from which everything comes

i am not worthy
 
*Psst* Pilgrim. The moustaches are for men's Prostates. Don't really get the connection to that any more than depression. It's called Movember...
 
Thanks for that ChemGal, I had no idea. I think it started just as prostate awareness, did it not?
 
BetteTheRed said:
Thanks for that ChemGal, I had no idea. I think it started just as prostate awareness, did it not?
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I wasn't really sure, as it's international. I know here prostate cancer has always been the bigger issue for it. I checked, it started in 2004 (well for a cause, it started in 2003 without fundraising) for prostate cancer, and mental health was added in 2006.
 
ChemGal said:
I wasn't really sure, as it's international. I know here prostate cancer has always been the bigger issue for it. I checked, it started in 2004 (well for a cause, it started in 2003 without fundraising) for prostate cancer, and mental health was added in 2006.
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Well, there you are then. Story of my life as it rolls out - not inaccurate so much as outdated.
 
Complex subject for me. I'm well aware of ALS - I've known several people to live and die with it, including my sister's sil and a good friend's husband who was in my card-playing group. In his last year he played cards by having his held upright in a rack. I'm all for medical research to find a cause, treatment and eventually, hopefully, a cure. And while looking for help for ALS researchers might also stumble upon medication or procedures that might help Parkinsons or other neurological problems.

But throwing ice-water on people??? On face-book I've heard of at least two deaths - one the bucket full of water and ice was accidently dropped from some height on the victim's head - I'm not sure about the other one.

And while we have an abundance of water in this part of Canada, I don't think we should waste clean, purified drinking water. Throw water on each other in a lake or stream if you must. Or do something productive.

It reminds me of the time our mayor took the Polar Bear dip on New Year's day to help the poor. Other than the publicity bringing in donations, how did this open people's eyes to the plight of the hungry in our city. I suggested an alternative - getting people to pledge for him living on the amount he and his family would receive on social assistance for a month - and add more pledges for each week thereafter - Do things like leave his car in the garage and take public transportation or walk to work and other activities - live in two or three rooms of his house and limit use to one bathroom for the entire family - buy groceries, school supplies, clothing, and all other items on his monthly allowance. Find out what it is really like - challenge others to do the same. And donate, not just the pledges, but the money saved that would have ordinarily been spent during this time.

Raise money, heighten awareness, do whatever it takes to help make ALS a thing of the past - but isn't there a better way than throwing water.
 
Seeler - I like your idea of throwing the water over a lake. My youngest sister had a good idea too. Hers was - stand in your garden when you throw the water over yourself.
 
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