Latest news with #MentalIllnessNeedsDiscussion
Winnipeg Free Press
14-05-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Mission possible
St. James Much like the return of wide-leg jeans and the Jedi, the Ice Bucket Challenge is back with a vengeance. In 2014, this viral social media campaign garnered worldwide attention for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurological disease also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease. Participants filmed themselves having a bucket of ice water dumped on their heads, then nominated friends and family to do the same and/or donate to ALS research. Photo by Wanda Prychitko Brooklands Admin Staff accepted the challenge from another school in the St. James-Assiniboia School Division, encouraging everyone to make positive youth mental health a priority. In Canada alone, more than $17 million was raised in five months, and more than $220 million US was raised globally. ALS continues to be a fatal condition that takes people in their prime. Fast forward to 2025, and the Ice Bucket Challenge is front-and-centre of a new movement launched by Mental Illness Needs Discussion, a student club at the University of South Carolina. Dubbed the #SpeakYourMind Ice Bucket Challenge, the campaign encourages us to engage in conversation, reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, foster mutual support and advocate for suicide prevention. Mondays A weekly look at news and events that matter in your communities. In 2022, Health Canada reported that one in four Canadian youth had been diagnosed as struggling with one or a combination of mental, emotional, developmental or behavioural issues. Suicide was the second leading cause of death among those aged 15 to 34. These numbers are staggering, tragic and avoidable. The Ice Bucket Challenge is but a medium, with the capacity to draw attention to a host of concerns. I have no doubt that other issues worthy of our attention will use the Ice Bucket Challenge to shine a light on their cause in the future. Just as door-to-door canvassing was initiated by a single group, we know that many, many organizations have utilized the model to raise awareness and funds. If it ain't broke – don't fix it. In the midst of so much Canada-U.S. divisiveness, I think we can agree that the mental health of youth everywhere is a critical issue, and not one to be politicized. Whether you splash yourself, nominate a friend, donate your time or assets, the point is to be open to others in need and not be afraid of the conversation. You can be involved as little or as much as you like – but please be involved. Wanda PrychitkoSt. James-Assiniboia community correspondent Wanda Prychitko is a community correspondent for St. James-Assiniboia. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
BBC News
28-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
The Ice Bucket Challenge is back, here's what you need to know
If you have older siblings, cousins or friends you might remember the ice bucket challenge, or maybe you have seen it going viral on social media recently?Back in 2014 the viral challenge took the internet by storm, and now it is back. The challenge includes pouring ice cold water over yourself and filming it to raise awareness and funds for charity. This time round the challenge is to raise awareness of mental health and to encourage people to talk about it. Where did the Ice Bucket Challenge start and why? The challenge first came around in 2014, where it started in America as a way to raise awareness of the condition ALS which is a form of Motor Neurone in 2014 hundreds of celebrities including Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, The Rock and Victoria and David Beckham took on the campaign went viral and raised thousands of dollars in weeks, and hundreds of thousands of dollars newest ice bucket challenge was created by students at University of South Carolina's Mental Illness Needs Discussion club who posted on Instagram about the challenge to raise awareness and funds for mental health causes. What is the Ice Bucket Challenge? The Ice Bucket Challenge involves pouring a bucket of ice water over yourself (or getting someone to do it for you), then nominating your friends to do the same and making a donation to a charity. This time round the charity being supported by the challenge is a student-run charity called MIND (Mental Illness Needs Discussion) in the United last time, the trend began in America but now people from all across the world are joining in and spreading the message.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Champaign man, ALS advocate reflects as ice bucket challenge comes back for a new cause
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — There's a social media trend back after more than a decade. 'It's great to get people involved in the fight,' Harsha Gurujal said. PREVIOUSLY: 2024 Champaign Walk ALS hopes to raise money and awareness The ice bucket challenge is once again going around the internet, but this time it's benefiting something other than Alzheimer's research. More than 17 million people took part when the trend went viral back in 2014. Now, it's championing something new. 'My granddaughter Sophie came to me one day and said, 'Grandpa you're not going to believe this, I did the ice bucket challenge,'' Gurujal said. 'And I got all excited. I'm like, 'For ALS? And she said, 'No, it's for mental health awareness.'' Mental Illness Needs Discussion, or MIND, is a student group at the University of South Carolina. They helped the challenge resurface and have raised more than $370,000 as of Sunday. 'To have people that are young getting involved in the ice bucket challenge and to have them raise awareness is excellent,' Gurujal said. Danville man honored for Workers Memorial Day Gurujal remembers the initial challenge as a pivotal time for people's awareness of ALS. 'My mom was diagnosed with ALS in February of 2019,' he said. 'She passed away March 13 of 2020. There is not enough money in this world right now to do all the research that is necessary.' The more than $100 million raised for the ALS Association definitely pushed research in the right direction. Gurujal said the two causes are more connected than people may realize. 'When you get ALS, you lose all of your physical capabilities but your mind stays intact,' Gurujal said. 'You don't lose any cognition, so you're fully aware of all the things you're losing. [That can cause] people to go into very deep depression.' Former Clinton Police Chief honored with tree at Arbor Day event He said the comeback trend speaks to how powerful social media can be, and hopes people continue to show up and speak out for both initiatives. 'The fact that mental health awareness is being raised and we're able to combine the two ice bucket challenges is just elating,' Gurujal said. MIND has blown their initial $500 goal out of the water, getting closer and closer to their new benchmark of $500,000. The ALS association has praised their efforts saying that their thrilled that the challenge has become a 'new form of activism.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
ITV News
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
The 'Ice Bucket Challenge' is back, but with a new cause
The 'Ice Bucket Challenge' is back - but this time the internet craze is being used to raise funds for mental health awareness. The challenge - where people post video of themselves throwing buckets of iced water over their heads - first appeared in 2014, to raise money for the progressive neurodegenerative disease ALS. Now, a student-run initiative called MIND (Mental Illness Needs Discussion) in the United States, has resurrected the trend. The group launched the 'Speak Your Mind Ice Bucket Challenge' to raise money for Active Minds, a non-profit organisation dedicated to changing the stigma around mental health in young people and adults. MIND, which launched the campaign via a social media post in March, originally hoped to raise a few hundred US dollars. However, after the fund reached more than $175,000, Active Minds set a new target of $250,000. Now, the challenge has spread beyond America, with UK social media users also taking part. In a statement posted on Active Mind's website, Wade Jefferson, a sophomore and founder said the campaign had been 'surreal.' He wrote: 'We're proud, grateful and just excited to see how far it's gone and (will) continue to go.' The challenge has spread across the water, with UK social media users also taking part Back in 2014 hundreds of celebrities including A-listers, Taylor Swift, Victoria Beckham, Will Smith and Oprah Winfrey took on the challenge. The campaign was a staggering success, raising $115 million in donations in just six weeks, and $220 million overall. Victoria Beckhams 'Ice Bucket Challenge' 2014 This time round celebrities including NFL players, Peyton Manning, Emmanuel Sanders and Jordon Norwood have taken part. Internet stars James Charles and Haley Kalil have also got involved. The ALS Association praised MIND's efforts, publishing a statement on their website saying they were "thrilled to see the spirit of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge live on in new forms of activism."
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
What's the USC Ice Bucket Challenge? The viral video series, explained
What's the USC Ice Bucket Challenge? The viral video series, explained Welcome to FTW Explains: A guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. You may have seen videos of people getting buckets of ice water dumped on their heads and had some deja vu, and also wondered what the heck is going on. That's OK! We're here to help. That's right, the viral ice bucket challenge is back, and this time, it's for a different cause. When I started seeing these videos go viral again, I wondered if it was 2014, when we wrote a whole bunch of posts about celebrities and athletes getting water dumped on them. But, nope! It's 2025! And it's back. Let's break down the whole thing: What is the Ice Bucket Challenge? It's simple. You turn on your phone to shoot a video and someone takes a bucket filled with ice and water and dumps it on your head. You then challenge other people to do it, and they do the same, and it goes on and on. Also, you include a link for donations on your social media post. Who started this version of the Ice Bucket Challenge? Back then, it was to bring awareness to ALS. This time, per USA TODAY: "The #SpeakYourMIND ice bucket challenge was created by students at the University of South Carolina's 'Mental Illness Needs Discussion' club, which first posted about the challenge on March 31." How much money has been raised thanks to the Ice Bucket Challenge? Nearly $300,000 to Active Minds. Is there any controversy with this Ice Bucket Challenge? There have been discussions about how this is overshadowing the original cause, with the ALS Association posting this: I wouldn't call it a controversy, but there's discussion online.
