BOSTON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The man who helped launch the massively successful ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is facing financial problems, as his family struggles to pay medical bills of about 1 million U.S. dollars each year, reported Boston Globe earlier this week.
Pete Frates, 32, has suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig' s disease, since 2012. He has lost control of his limbs and is now on a ventilator. His condition requires 24-hour care.
The cost of his caring can run between 70,000 and 95,000 U.S. dollars each month, Boston Globe quoted his mom Nancy Frates as saying. The annual cost could go close to 1 million. His care is not covered by insurance.
The ALS Association has a pilot program called the Pete Frates Home Health Initiative to help provide in-home care-giving assistance for individuals suffering from ALS in the U.S. State of Massachusetts, the article noted. Visit petefrates.com/donate to find out more.
In 2014, the former Boston College baseball player thought of an idea to raise money for people with the degenerative disease. It works like this: Dump a bucket of ice-cold water over your head, then challenge a friend or more to either do the same or donate money to the ALS Association. Make a video and share it with friends on social media.
It went viral. The CNN reported that more than 17 million people dumped ice water over their heads, and in eight weeks, the ALS Association raised more than 115 million dollars. Numerous celebrities also took part in the global activity, such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey and Lady Gaga.
