Laser Pointer Releases ALS Info Graphic to accompany the Ice Bucket Challenge

Laser Pointer regularly publishes info graphics to raise awareness and provide information about various diseases and health conditions. This month we released one on Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease” to accompany all those doing the Ice Bucket Challenge.

“If the goal is to raise awareness, all participants should be posting information about this disease on their social media platforms”, said President Margy Schaller. “This piece can be customized with the participants’ contact information or simply used as is.”

The originator of the Ice Bucket Challenge is Pete Frates. He was the captain of the Boston College baseball team in 2007 and only learned of his diagnosis in March 2012. Over the past couple of years, he has been tireless in trying to raise awareness and funds to further research into a treatment and cure for ALS. However, as of September 2013, he could no longer speak on his own.

On July 14, 2014, he put out the Ice Bucket Challenge to his friends on Facebook. Boston athletes immediately responded, posting their videos on their pages. It quickly spread to athletes throughout the country and has now become a national craze. According to the ALS Foundation, over $42 million has been raised to date, and while they are thrilled, they say that this is a proverbial drop in the bucket for what is needed.

The real problem is the NIH funding has been slashed so severely that the long term funding needed for studies is gone. Laser Pointer joins Pete Frates and the ALS Foundation in asking all who come in contact with the Ice Bucket Challenge to contact congress and demand that the NIH budget be increased.

Go to our Info Graphics page to download your copy, or email us for a personalized copy to send out to your clients and patients.