Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time on the Internet over the last week may have noticed some of their friends participating in something called the “Ice Bucket Challenge.”  This challenge, which requires participants to film themselves while dumping a bucket of ice water over their head, was started to raise awareness for amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).  ALS, sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease,  is a relatively rare progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes those affected by it to eventually suffer from severe muscle weakness and atrophy.  Over time, many ALS patients lose their ability swallow and chew and most patients die of respiratory failure within five years of being diagnosed. The Ice Bucket Challenge to strike out ALS has taken over the Internet as a result of people’s responses to the cruel disease; each person who completes the challenge must nominate other’s and each person must participant in the challenge and/or donate money to the ALS foundation.

Recently a wave of celebrities have come taken part in the Ice Bucket Challenge in attempts to use their popularity as a means of gaining more recognition for the disease.  Justin Timberlake is the latest celebrity to dump a bucket of ice cold water on his head, joining former N’SYNC bandmate, Lance Bass, and Martha Stewart.  Timberlake was nominated for the challenge by Patrick Downes and Jessica Kensky, a married couple from Massachusetts, both of whom are survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing.  In his video, Justin, stands with his tour band, The Tennessee Kids, as the entire group dumps buckets of water on themselves.  Timberlake in turn nominated Jimmy Fallon and The Roots – letting them know they have 24 hours to complete the challenge or they must donate $100 to the cause; Justin and his group did both.

This chilly challenge has even made its way to Pennsylvania Avenue. After dumping a bucket of cold water onto her head, Ethel Kennedy, widow of Robert F. Kennedy, nominated President Obama; however, a statement issued from White House spokesman, Eric Shultz, has revealed that the president will forego the challenge and make a monetary contribution to the cause instead.

While many people may think that those participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge are only doing so to gain attention on social networks, it is hard to ignore the amount of awareness this frigid act of recognition has given to the very deserving cause.

(Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)

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