EVERY YEAR TILL A CURE: Hundreds Participate In The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

YONKERS (WESTCHESTER COUNTY) NY: The annual Ice Bucket Challenge took place Sunday, to raise awareness for ALS, a progressive nervous system disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and causes the loss of muscle control.

One of the event's founders, 37-year-old Pat Quinn, who died 7 years after he was diagnosed with ALS.

Yonkers political and business leaders were also present for the "dumping of the ice" in what has become a fundraiser around the world.

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Since 2015, Empire City Casino has hosted the annual challenge in support of Quinn.

Money raised during Ice Bucket Challenge events help pay for patient services, medical treatment and research.

Recent years have also shown significant advances in research.

Recently researchers discovered a new gene associated with ALS that may hold the key to one day finding a cure and new technology is allowing individuals affected by ALS to regain their voice.

Project MinE, a global gene sequencing effort to identify genetic drivers of ALS, received $1 million from the challenge, allowing them to broaden the scope of their research.

In June 2018 in Seoul, South Korea the Challenge raised funds to build Korea's first dedicated hospital for ALS patients.

This Article Originally Appeared On The Yonkers News Center Website:

https://yonkersny.town.news/g/yonkers-ny/n/114515/every-year-till-cure-…