TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – It’s been 10 years since the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Since then, the CEO Soak was created to bring together community leaders and local celebrities to get soaked once again for ALS in an effort to raise funds and awareness for The ALS Association’s mission.
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It’s also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The disease ended Gehrig’s baseball career in 1941 after playing with the New York Yankees for 17 years.
Tragically, there is no cure yet. Samantha Schneider, Senior Manager of Development for the ALS Association , said within the past decade the Association has made strides, including doubling the amount of ALS clinics available to support those suffering from the disease. She also said 12 new genes have been discovered that are connected to ALS as well as two new drug treatments have been discovered and approved by the FDA.
The CEO Soak is on Thursday, Sept. 19 from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. in St. Petersburg. People can sign up for the cause and help raise funds to beat the disease.