Ice Ice Baby

Yes, it seems the name of my post is definitely floating around a lot as a headline at the moment, but why would you ever pass up the chance to mention Vanilla Ice's best (and possibly only) song? Over the last week or so, the Ice Bucket Challenge has taken the internet by storm. Another viral video showdown, not without its critics of course, as per everything there's always somebody with a negative view. But if you have been living under a rock/only turn on your computer to read your favourite ever blog (...mine), the Ice Bucket Challenge is quite literally throwing a bucket of ice cold water over yourself and either donating, or spreading the word for Motor Neurone Disease or, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in the US.

As a bit of 'background info' for those of you who don't know, MND/ALS occurs when motor neurones (specialist nerve cells in your brain and spine), stop working properly. It effects gripping, walking, speaking, swallowing and breathing and causes people with the disease to find these simple everyday activities increasingly difficult, and eventually impossible, to do. The Ice Bucket Challenge is relevant to the disease, as for a split second, the ice cold water effects the body in a very similar way. And with a £37 million increase in donations world wide, what reason could people possibly have for being against the challenge? 

Although I tend to support anything which raises money for charity, there has been a bit of controversy with Macmillan Cancer Care 'hijacking' the challenge and telling people to donate to them instead. Unfortunately there are hundreds of terrible diseases in the world, with Cancer and MND being just two. But I can completely understand the annoyance of some people who feel MND is getting the attention it fully deserves, and MCC has jumped on a bandwagon a bit. Imagining the reaction if ALS/MND had told people to donate to them for the 'No Make Up Selfies' challenge, I don't really feel MCC should take the sponsors and the attention away from MND/ALS, a disease which before now, got a lot less media attention. 

So, if you do have some money to spare or would like to take part, I definitely 100% say go for it. Joining the likes of the Beckhams, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kate Moss and Ashton Kutcher in a bid to raise money for charity is something everyone should be cheering about. There's enough misery in this world without raining on the parade of a good thing! Good luck in your challenges if you're nominated, and remember to donate if you can! 

Ciao for Now!
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