Combined Efforts for a Successful Ice Bucket Challenge Led to ALS Research Breakthrough

The Ice Bucket Challenge, with a goal of raising awareness and enough money for the research study of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, started to create a buzz in social media in 2014. Now, after almost two years, the ALS Association is pleased to announce that the challenge has not been put in vain.

John Landers, Ph.D., the lead researcher behind of the research study, said in an interview that aside from the help of the scientists who joined forces and brain stormed for the study, the ALS Bucket Challenge is one of the reasons why the research study has come into success. The money raised has helped create a breakthrough in understanding ALS even more, according to CBS News.

"Global collaboration among scientists, which was really made possible by ALS Ice Bucket Challenge donations, led to this important discovery," John Landers said in the interview. "It is a prime example of the success that can come from the combined efforts of so many people, all dedicated to finding the causes of ALS," he added.

The challenge that inspire people to take a bucket-filled of ice cold water pour over their heads has raised more than $100 million just two months after the challenge has started. Because of the money generated, the study was able to discover a gene that the experts believe is the culprit behind the disease, as reported by Independent. Seventy-seven million dollars of which was also used to finance multiple research projects for a clearer understanding of the neurodegenerative disease.

The Director of Research Development at the Motor Neurone Brian Disease Association Brian Dickie also expressed his gratitude towards the success of the study, as noted by the Telegraph. "We are pleased to have been involved since this approach to gene hunting was in its infancy a decade ago." He also added how amazed he is with how the world has worked together for the breakthrough of treating such fatal disease.