We have all heard of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. We have either done it or we know of somebody who has done it to raise money and awareness for ALS. During this week, the ALS Association released a statement that they have discovered a new ALS gene, NEK1, which is now ranked high among the other most common factors that is associated with ALS.

If you were a part of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, you have attributed to the discovery of this new gene that the team at University of Massachusetts Medical School and the other colleagues around the world has found. A group called Project MinE received a one million dollar grant from the ALS Association to help them expand their operation in finding something else that could help prevent ALS. Project MinE is the largest precision medicine program of its kind. Their goal is to find all of the genes that are responsible for ALS.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord lead to the muscles throughout the body. The progressiveness of this disease eventually leads to death.

This disease has affected a dear friend of mine, but the Lord keeps working in their lives every step in the day. I met the Bazzel's my freshman year in high school. I became friends with Hannah when we met each other during our freshman year in high school. At first, I did not know something was going on with her father, but I later found out that he did not have ALS, but at the time it was some kind of other disease that would more than likely lead up to ALS because it runs in the family. Eventually, he was diagnosed him with ALS.

When the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge started, Hannah was challenged to do it, so when she did it, she challenged all of the Albert P. Brewer High School to do. One afternoon during school when we were outside for a pep rally, the ones of us that brought in money to make aware of ALS, accepted the challenge and had a bucket of ice water dumped on us. It was a great experience and a great time as a school!

In September, the ALS Association always has a walk to help raise money to find a cure for ALS. Hannah talked about it one day at school and I decided to go walk with them to support the Bazzel family and everyone else that was walking. It was a great time and I went again the next year because I knew it was dear to their heart, so I wanted to be there for them, and I knew I would have a great time for a great cause!

In these past years, I have seen this family stay near to the Lord and focus on what is seen and what is not seen. I know everyday is a struggle for them, but I know they look to the Lord for their help everyday. Despite what is going on in their lives, they still continue to live for the Lord and enjoy life to its fullness! I know the Bazzel family is an inspiration to others. Even though this terrible disease has taken hold of Chris's life, they still continue to look for help from the Lord. They could be looking at everyday as a curse, but they choose to look at everyday as a blessing from the Lord.

Will you take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge again this year to help raise money to find a cure for ALS? I know I will, but it will be once I move to college. I challenge everyone reading this to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge or if that is not your thing, I challenge you to walk a ALS walk that is nearby where you live, or you can just donate money on the ALS Association's website, alsa.org.