Many Internet users film themselves eating their teeth into a lemon wedge. This new viral challenge aims to raise funds to fight a rare form of childhood brainstem cancer.
The Internet has had its Ice Bucket Challenge, a phenomenon of pouring a bucket of ice water over your head to draw attention to Charcot’s disease. These last days, it is the “Lemon face challenge” which pursues a similar objective. Internet users film their reactions by biting a slice of lemon. The goal is to raise funds for the association of a young girl with DIPG.
An inoperable and fatal malignant tumor
The infiltrating protuberantial glioma (DIPG, in English), is a malignant tumor of the bridge, this central zone between the brain and the cerebellum which plays in particular a key role in the motor skills. DIPG can also be the cause of asymmetry in facial features.
It mainly affects children under 15, and is inoperable. Today, only radiotherapy can reduce the effects of glioma in the short term for 70% of patients. Nevertheless, according to an article in the journal Pediatric Research published in 2013, it does not increase their life expectancy.
Internet as a springboard for fundraising
To raise awareness among the general public, Aubreigh Nicholas’ family launched this viral challenge. This 11-year-old girl, living in Alabama, has DIPG. By filming their faces when they bite into lemon, Internet users urge them to make a donation to Aubreigh’s Army, the association created by the young girl’s family.
Several American personalities have already taken up the challenge, such as football coach Nick Saban, or Republican elected Alabama Bradley Byrne and his team.
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-1575977881.jpg "Charcot’s disease: death of Pete Frates, who popularized the “Ice Bucket Challenge”")
