Taiwanese politicians and celebrities have joined in on one of the latest trends making the rounds on social media in which a person films themselves pouring ice water on their head, posts the video online to raise awareness for a paralyzing disease and challenges others to repeat the feat in 24 hours or donate money to the cause.
Sean Lien (連勝文), the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate in the Nov. 29 Taipei mayoral race, yesterday posted a clip on Facebook of him dumping ice water over himself in a park in the capital, becoming one of the latest participants in the Ice Bucket Challenge, a viral meme meant to raise awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Those who are challenged must choose between a frigid shower and donating US$100 to fund research into the incurable illness; many often do both.
Photo: CNA
Lien and his main rival in the Taipei race, independent candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), were challenged by appWorks Ventures cofounder Jamie Lin (林之晨), who took the plunge a day earlier.
After his icy shower, Lien challenged Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) and Minister of Education Wu Se-hwa (吳思華).
Ko took the plunge last night and then challenged Broadcasting Corp of China (中廣公司) chairman Jaw Shau-kong (趙少康), Taiwanese comedian Kuo Tzu-chien (郭子乾) and Taiwanese director Wei Te-sheng (魏德聖) to do it.
Photo: CNA, courtesy of Sean Lien’s campaign office
Also drenching himself with cold water last night was National Development Council Minister Kuan Chung-ming (管中閔), who was also challenged by Lin.
Kuan in turn has challenged newly sworn-in Minister of Economic Affairs Woody Duh (杜紫軍), Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Bao-ji (陳保基) and National Taiwan University president Yang Pan-chyr (楊泮池).
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. If often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis.
Liu Yen-chu (劉延鉅), head of the Taiwan Motor Neuron Disease Association, which treats people with ALS, poured ice water over himself yesterday in Taipei to show his support for the campaign and challenged Japan-based Taiwanese baseball star Yang Dai-kang (陽岱鋼) to participate.
Liu said he chose Yang because the latter had something in common with the US man who turned the Ice Bucket Challenge from a fad into a campaign: Pete Frates, a former Boston College baseball player who was diagnosed with the disease in 2012.
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