In summer of 2014, a trend of the ALS Ice Bucket challenge started. People all over the world participated in this challenge. Meanwhile people didn’t it for fun, it has a meaning behind it. This challenge was created to raise money and awareness of the ALS disease. According to the ALS Association, more than 17 million people worldwide participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge. Also according to CNN News, around 2.5 million people donated $115 million to the ALS Association. This money helping patients and community services, research, public and professional education, fundraising and external processing fees.
“The research for a treatment for this deadly degenerative disease is rife with studies so poorly designed that they offered nothing more than false hope for people essentially handed a death sentence along with their diagnosis (pg. 53).” As scientist receive money to find a cure that will help slow down the disease for simply just finding a cure. As scientist experience difficulties during their research. Meanwhile Richard Harris explains how scientist are taking short cuts, they use far too few mice. “Poorly designed study is simply a waste of time (pg. 57).” Scientist have commented that the money they receive is not enough to complete and properly do the research of ALS.
The way I see this dilemma, is that scientist are receiving big amount of money to complete any type of research. Meanwhile, they complain they don’t have enough funds to properly complete a lab, there still wasting money by skipping steps and not double checking. Now I really question the way scientist are handling money. If they don’t have enough funds, why are they spending money on research and labs that are going to end up with false and incorrect information.
Two years ago when the Ice Bucket Challenge became a trend on social media, it raised awareness and money for ALS. Thanks to the third chapter of Rigor Mortis by Richard Harris, I learned more about the Ice Bucket Challenge and what this fundraiser was made for. As I mentioned before the money raised was used for many things such as research, patients and community services and many more things. I think it’s great way to raise awareness and fundraise money. But are scientist really trustworthy with this money? Will they continue to take the easy road and do research incorrect?
“Humans were being put at risk based on that kind of data, and that took my breath away (pg. 59).” Collins realized the mess and the false hope he was giving patients and families. In January 2016, researches need to show that they know how to do research properly and that the cells they are using are actually what they think they are. According to the blog post titled, New Stem Cell Treatment for ALS May Slow Disease Progression there’s hope in find a treatment that will slow down the progression of ALS. Giving patients more time with their families. But still scientist should not see this as a stop sign but a sign that there might be a treatment that can help cure ALS.
StarPathDesign 
I liked how you focused on one topic which was the ice bucket challenge. I also like how you questioned wether or not the cause was effective. The pictures were very colorful. Good Job putting this piece together!
-Morgan Gainer-Kendrick