If you cast your mind back to the summer of 2014, you might recall the craze that took over social media: celebrities and normal people alike began pouring ice cold buckets of water over their heads and filming the chaos unfold.
It went viral, with each person partaking in the freezing cold madness subsequently nominating others to do the same. But amidst all the drenched t-shirts, piercing screams and pained faces was a real, beneficial cause. Those who took part in the challenge also donated money to The ALS Association, which aimed to fund further research into a disease which has historically affected too few people to make it financially "worth it."
The hereditary disease is notoriously painful both for the sufferer and for their families, who have to helplessly look on as their loved ones' nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord get slowly degenerated, eventually shutting down their bodily functions bit by bit. You only have to watch sufferer Anthony Carbajal's video to fathom the truly destructive nature of the neurological disorder.
But something incredibly positive has come out of what the craze cynics said wouldn't make a bit of difference. The campaign raised more than one million dollars in the month it was in full viral-mode, and that money has since completely funded various research projects.
One of which, Project MinE, led to researchers to believe they may have identified a new gene associated with the disease, which could well lead to the potential of developing new treatment, which is pretty incredible, given it was believed there was no cure up until this point
Speaking about the new findings, the ALS Association's executive vice-president of communications and development, Brian Frederick said:Â "It's very exciting because it shows everyone who contributed to the ice bucket challenge that their donation had an impact on the research. The work that Project MinE is doing is really important, and the discovery of this new gene will help us better understand ALS."
This is proof there really is power to a social movement.