The American School of Doha (ASD) hosted a school-wide ALS ice-bucket challenge recently on school grounds in response to a challenge by the ASD Leadership Team.
ASD is promoting the ALS ice-bucket challenge in honor of former high school principal, Mike Shahen, who was the ASD High School Principal from 2004 to 2010. While he was acting as principal, Mike was diagnosed with ALS and passed away from the disease on June 13, 2011.
“The ALS Ice-Bucket Challenge is a fundraising campaign that has a personal connection to ASD. We were all impacted by the death of Mike Shahen from ALS. We wanted to come out to show our collective compassion, in memory of Mike, and to support ALS awareness and research,” Jen Hammonds, ASD Middle School Counsellor.
Over 400 students, faculty and parents attended the school-wide ALS ice-bucket challenge. Devon Patchus, ASD 5th grade Student, was asked why he felt it was important to participate in the challenge and he said: “When you do it you freeze for a few seconds and this helps you understand what the people [who have ALS] are feeling.”
The American School of Doha has been promoting awareness of ALS and fundraising for an entire week. The school has thus far raised QR10,720 among all divisions. ASD is also encouraging online donations directly to the ALS Organization by directing donors to www.alsa.org/. Funds can be contributed in memory of Mike Shahen as well.
The Peninsula
