Locomotion Day Care workers get iced down for ALS

September 3, 2014 · 0 Comments

Nothing makes children happier than getting a chance to pour water over the heads of those who mind them. Likewise, nothing makes adults happier than finding a cure for a disease that children will only be able to read about in the future.
Last Friday, seven workers from Locomotion Day Care Centre in Tottenham felt the wrath of the wee-ones when they accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge – and the children hesitate to make sure they were equally drenched.
On hand to help with the event were members of the local fire department, from Station 3 Tottenham.
The fire fighters laughed as the day care workers caught an icy chill on a warm August day – but little did they know, they’d be next in line.
Prior to commencing the Ice Bucket Challenge, benefitting ALS Canada, day care worker Kristi nominated the fire fighters and they had nowhere to hide. Kristi herself had been nominated by friend, Chelsea.
Refilling their buckets – and even stepping out for more ice – the staff of Locomotion got the fire fighters but good! In turn, the fire fighters nominated their pals from Station 2 Beeton and Station 1 Alliston.
According to the ALS Association website, as of Tuesday, August 26, the Ice Bucket Challenge has raised more than $88.5 million globally as a result of the Ice Bucket Challenge – $200,000 alone in Canada. Last year at this time the organization had only raised $2.6 million.
As more donations continue to come in across Canada, the organization has raised the fundraising goal to ask Canadians to make their Ice Bucket Challenge count, with a goal to raise $1.5 million.
“The potential to increase the goal is imminent as Canadians should be able to raise at least 10 per cent of the donations raised in the US,” says ALS Canada.
“To Canadians participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge, please support Canadian ALS charities. ALS Canada and the Provincial Societies provide services and equipment to the 3,000 people in Canada living with ALS today and hope for the future through the national ALS Canada Research Program. Canadians can donate to ALS Canada and ALS Provincial Societies at als.ca/icebucketchallenge.”
A viral phenomenon, the Ice Bucket Challenge, started in the USA by the Frates Family, has propelled ALS into the national spotlight. Currently, 1,000 people will be diagnosed with the disease per year. ALS is a neuro-degenerative disease, characterized by rapidly progressive muscle weakness that causes paralysis of the body’s most basic functions from mobility to communication and eventually to breathing. The average lifespan after diagnosis is two to five years, which means 1,000 people will die every year because of ALS. Presently, there is no cure or effective treatment for ALS.
The dollars raised from the Ice Bucket Challenge will provide support services for clients and families living with ALS across Canada and fund the national ALS Canada Research Program.
ALS Canada, founded in 1977, is the only national voluntary health organization dedicated solely to the fight against ALS and support for those with ALS. ALS Canada is the leading not-for-profit organization working nationwide to fund ALS research and, with the Provincial ALS Societies, working to improve the quality of life for Canadians affected by ALS. For more information visit www.als.ca or follow us on Twitter @ALSCanada
ALS is a terminal disease characterized by progressive paralysis of muscles throughout the body. Ninety percent of ALS patients die within five years of diagnosis and some in less than one. An estimated 3,000 Canadians have the disease, yet there are currently no effective treatment options. ALS is caused by death of motor neurons, which connect the brain to the muscles. While the specific cause remains unknown, promising discoveries in recent years have provided significant clues that should pave the way for new therapies and an eventual cure.
Although it seems like fun and games, here are some suggestions if you plan to take the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’:
• The Ice Bucket Challenge may not be suitable for small children, the elderly, anyone in poor health or animals of any kind, so please use good judgment.
• Please be thoughtful about water usage. If you’re in an area of the country or world affected by drought, please consider making a donation instead, or repurpose the water for later use.
To donate to any one of the Canadian ALS Societies, go to als.ca/icebucketchallenge