Challenged by Scott Cravens of EMS WORLD, New Castle County (DE) EMS, Jeremy Mothershed/Havre de Grace (MD) EMS and several other EMS “friends,” JEMS Editor-in-Chief, A.J. Heightman, participated in the ALS ice bucket challenge in a big way with special assistance from our friend and colleagues at the Carlsbad (Calif.) Fire Department Station 5.
Click here to see his video clip.
(You’ll notice — at the end — the stream of water that exits his shirt — We think it is coming from his naval!!!) A.J. is making a donation to the ICE CHALLENGE ALS effort.
A.J. has challenged 3 of the Major Metropolitan Medical Directors to participate in the ICE CHALLENGE and they have all accepted:
· Ray Fowler, MD, Dallas Fire-Rescue, Parkland Hospital and UT Southwestern
· Corey Slovis, MD, Nashville Fire Dept & Vanderbilt University
· Jeff Goodloe, MD, EMSA of Oklahoma City & Tulsa
What is “ALS”
ALS was first found in 1869 by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, but it wasn’t until 1939 that Lou Gehrig brought national and international attention to the disease. Ending the career of one of the most beloved baseball players of all time, the disease is still most closely associated with his name. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.
To donate, go to: http://www.alsa.org/fight-als/ice-bucket-challenge.html
