The story/Notable participants

The #SpeakYourMind Ice bucket challenge has raised over $242,000 as of April 25, since it was started by the University of South Carolina’s “Mental Illness Needs Discussion Club” on March 31. The #SpeakYourMind Ice Bucket challenge, unlike the ALS 2014 challenge, aims to raise awareness about mental health issues and has seen participation from celebrities like James Charles and Peyton Manning.

How it works

Nominated participants film themselves having a bucket of ice-cold water poured on their heads.  In the clip, individuals also nominate two to five people to do the ice bucket challenge. 

2014 ALS ice bucket challenge 

The original Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014 raised millions of dollars for ALS research over a decade ago. In the summer of 2014, three young men living with ALS—Anthony Senerchia, Pete Frates, and Pat Quinn—took the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and launched a global phenomenon. 

ALS, also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is a rare nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in both the brain and spinal cord. This disease causes loss of muscle control, and despite treatment and medication to alleviate and slow symptoms, there is currently no cure. 

According to The ALS Association, over 17 million people participated in the 2014 challenge, raising more than $115 million in funds directed toward ALS research and care for people living with the medical condition. The 2014 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge saw overwhelming support from celebrities and big brands, like Taylor Swift, McDonald’s, Lady Gaga, Samsung, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and plenty more.

The Ice Bucket Challenge originated from the 1990s as a niche charity stunt called the Cold Water Challenge. Participants were given the options of either jumping into ice-cold water or donating to cancer research. The challenge gradually evolved and became more mainstream over the course of the next few decades.