The USC #SpeakYourMIND Ice Bucket challenge has been circulating through social media, different schools, sports teams, and generations, thanks to Wade Jefferson.
The challenge may sound familiar, it originally began trending in the summer of 2014, in honor of trying to spread awareness for ALS, or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The paralytic feeling that one feels when ice gets dumped on them supposedly mirrors the symptoms of ALS. Still yet to find a cure, the challenge did help spread awareness and raise a lot of money towards research.
Now, the issue of mental health and the negative stigma surrounding it has been around for years. At the University of South Carolina, when 2 of his close friends died by suicide, Jefferson wanted to do something about it. He repopularized this challenge in order to raise money towards the Active Minds program.
By simply dumping ice water, nominating 2 to 5 other people, and hitting post, people have been able to support the non-profit organization. Originating from Washington D.C., “Active Minds is the largest nonprofit in the United States mobilizing youth and young adults to transform mental health norms across society” (support.activeminds.org).
Many Bellarmine students and coaches have participated in the challenge themselves. Additionally, inspired by this challenge and the amazing things it has been able to accomplish, our school utilized the ice buckets to help encourage students to bring food in for the Lions Against Hunger Food Drive.
All in all, the USC Ice Bucket Challenge with the aid of social media, has been a proponent of making mental health resources more accessible to all. For more information, the support.activemind.org website has details describing how to donate, and the work that they do, as well as testimonials from participating students.
