'Ice Bucket Challenge' catches on amid neglect of disease

The "Ice Bucket Challenge," an activity which involves dumping a bucket of iced water over one's head to attract attention to a rare disease, has gone viral among celebrities across China but also raised questions over whether the challenge is a proper charitable activity or a publicity stunt.

The Ice Bucket Challenge, aimed at raising awareness and donations for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), was started by ALS patient Pete Frates, a football player at Boston University, and then quickly spread among US celebrities, aided by an endorsement by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg.

ALS is an incurable disease that leads to the loss of voluntary movement, slowly paralyzing patients.

Chinese celebrities from the world of IT, business and politics participated in the activity that can see participants either video themselves being doused with iced water or donate $100 to the US-based ALS Association.

Lei Jun, CEO and founder of Xiaomi, donated $100 to the ALS Association plus another 10,000 yuan ($1,628) to the China-Dolls center for rare disease. Wang Sicong, son of real-estate tycoon Wang Jianlin, also donated 1 million yuan to the center.

Many Net users applauded the activity, saying it allowed more people learn about ALS, while others worried that some only saw it as entertainment while celebrities participated for fun and show.

Ji Xiaohua, founder of a famous science popularization website Guokr.com and also a participant, said that although many celebrities might be boosting their image through such activities, it can be beneficial to ALS patients, Guangzhou-based Nandu Daily reported on Tuesday.

"Celebrity participation means a lot to us and we hope more people will care about us and the government can improve our healthcare condition," a patient suffering from ALS for 12 years said.

Currently, ALS disease is not included in the national health insurance scheme for serious illnesses in China. ALS patients only have basic health insurance.

Most of the patients reached by the Global Times said that they have to spend more than 5,000 yuan every month on treatment and medication.

Some of them also said that many hospitals refuse to take ALS patients most of the time.