Helen Hayes Hospital & Town of Haverstraw Pair Up Today for ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Staff of Helen Hayes Hospital, along with Town of Haverstraw Supervisor Howard T. Phillips, Jr., will be drenched by fire hoses and water buckets as they participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge on Tuesday, August 19, 2014. They will congregate under the big bucket at Haverstraw’s Bowline Point Park at 4:45 p.m. to accept the Challenge.

The park’s huge cooling bucket will drench the group with freezing water, while the town’s fire trucks will simultaneously spray them from all sides, ensuring a good, cold soaking, all for a good cause.

“ALS is a devastating disease and one that we are all too familiar with here at HHH,” says Kathleen M. Martucci, the physical rehabilitation hospital’s Chief Operating Officer. “Patient with ALS turn to us for physical, occupational and speech therapy, as well as assistive technology services. We are honored that they entrust us with their care as we seek to help them maintain an active and productive life throughout the course of their illness.”

This summer, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has gone viral, benefitting the ALS Association as donations have poured in from all over the world.  On August 16, 2014, the ALS Association announced that it had received $11.4 million in donations compared to $1.7 million during the same time period (July 29 to August 16) in the prior year.

At least 40 people are projected to participate in the August 19 Challenge at Bowline Point Park. Following the dousing, Supervisor Phillips will be issuing the challenge forward.  Helen Hayes Hospital staff will also be making a donation to the ALS Society to support patient care and research.