Ten years ago, I poured a bucket of ice on my head and accidentally helped raise $115 million. This week, I did it again—but not for ALS. This time, it’s personal.
This isn’t just another internet challenge.
It’s a story about loss, stigma, and the power of a cold splash to save lives.
I Still Remember the Sting
I once dumped an ice bucket on my head and accidentally helped raise $115 million. I’m about to do it again — because this time, it’s personal.
I still remember the sting.
In 2014, I stood in my backyard, holding a shaky plastic bucket over my head. Ice clinked against the sides.
My heart raced.
My daughter held up a phone.
And before I could think twice, I dumped the contents on myself.
I gasped, laughed, and silently cursed.
Then, I posted the video online, tagged a few friends, and donated to ALS research.
It was cold.
It was silly.
But the ALS ice bucket challenge helped raise over $115 million for a disease that had long been overlooked.
Now, more than a decade later, I’m doing it again.
But this time, the challenge hits even closer to home.
Gen Z Just Revived the Ice Bucket Challenge
This year, students at the University of South Carolina revived the Ice Bucket Challenge — this time to support mental health awareness through a campaign called #SpeakYourMIND.
It’s simple: dump ice water on your head, talk openly about mental health, post it, and challenge someone else.
All while raising money for Active Minds, a nonprofit that empowers young adults to change the culture around mental health.
It’s gone viral — again.
With a message we desperately need.
Why I’m Getting Cold (Again) for a Cause That Hurts More
I didn’t expect to care this much. But I do.
As a doctor, I’ve seen the toll of untreated mental illness in patients, colleagues, and friends.
As a human being, I’ve felt the silent weight of grief, burnout, and anxiety.
And I’ve lost people I loved who never said a word until it was too late.
One of the campaign’s founders, Wade Jefferson, started it after losing two close friends to suicide. He thought it would stay small — just his campus. He was wrong.
They passed $100,000 last week.
I’m inspired. And a little nervous. Because if I’m being honest, the first challenge left me shaking like a leaf.
But I’m doing it anyway.
👉 Read the full essay here on Medium:
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