The viral Ice Bucket Challenge has returned to prominence following an announcement from former NFL star Chris Johnson regarding his ALS diagnosis. Johnson revealed the diagnosis on the television program Good Morning America and subsequently called for a revival of the awareness movement.
Since the announcement, the ALS Association has experienced a three-fold increase in financial contributions compared to normal operational levels. The organization noted a significant demographic shift, recording a 25 percent increase in donations from men, with many donors contributing exactly 28 dollars to represent Johnson’s former football jersey number.
The current movement began when former Utah men’s basketball player Hunter Mecum posted a video participating in the challenge in honor of Johnson. After the former NFL player reshared the post to request public participation, hundreds of additional videos emerged online within a matter of days.
Several prominent individuals have participated in the initial wave of videos, including former football players Marshawn Lynch and LenDale White. Johnson’s daughter also participated in the challenge and officially nominated professional basketball player LeBron James to complete it next.
The original campaign was launched in 2014 by Anthony Senerchia, Pete Frates, and Pat Quinn, who raised 115 million dollars for the ALS Association before passing away from the disease. The funding from that initial campaign doubled the number of specialized ALS clinics nationwide and helped establish the first treatment for a specific genetic form of the disease.
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