HomeBrian Bloom
California Kappa - University of California, San Diego
My Iron Phi Story
Brian Bloom's Mission Against Lou Gehrig's Disease
Hello friends!
As my college career comes to a close, I have begun to reflect upon my time at UCSD with bittersweet reminiscence. Undoubtedly, the best part of my college experience has been the time I spent as a member of my fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. The friends and memories I have made have been priceless. I can say with certainty and veracity that my fraternity experience has pushed me to become "the greatest version of myself." As a parting thank-you gift to Phi Delta Theta for granting me an extraordinary college experience, I seek to fundraise $1,000 for Phi Delta Theta's LiveLikeLou Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting the families of and finding a cure for ALS, aka Lou Gerigh's Disease.
Additionally, 2020 has been a year characterized by unprecedented social change. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the racial and social inequalities rampant in our society today; however, such inequalities are being met with a remarkable response of social responsbility. The way members of my own communities have passionately chosen to support social change has inspired me to embark on a small journey of my own. I aim to impact a facet of society that I have better direct accountability over--ALS.
This year, I'll be attempting to become an Iron Phi - a distinction given to a small percentage of members within my Fraternity. The mission of Iron Phi is to strengthen the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity and the impact it has on the fight against Lou Gehrig's disease through the fundraising and athletic efforts of its members. Lou Gehrig was a member of Phi Delta Theta, and our organization has taken an active role in finding a cure.
If you think being perpetually trapped in your own house during quarantine is frustrating, imagine being trapped in your own body. Approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. ALS shows no discrimination over class, race, or socio-economic status. Persons of all walks of life are susceptible to the disease. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, and is essentially 100% fatal. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to the loss of patents' ability to initiate and control voluntary movement, and ultimately their deaths. That's why I'm becoming an Iron Phi. To do something bold about Lou Gehrig's disease.
The net proceeds willl fund Phi Delta Theta's LiveLikeLou Foundation. The LiveLikeLou Foundation is committed to making an impact on ALS research while it supports the children of families affected by ALS. Our impact is focused on facilitating learning amongst ALS researchers, supporting innovative research centers, and giving children of ALS families life-enhancing experiences and financial assistance as they pursue higher education dreams. For more specific information on how your donation will be used, check this link from the LiveLikeLou Foundation itself: https://livelikelou.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.page&id=1007
For my athletic endeavor I will attempt a timed modified "Murph Challenge" workout, which I will call the "Lou Challenge." In this challenge I will:
- Run 1 mile
- Lift 100 barbell rows at 80lbs.
- Do 200 pushups
- Do 300 squats
- Run 1 mile
As average times for this work can last anywhere between 45-minutes and 1 hour, I aim to complete this challenge in under 45 minutes. The struggle of an athletic endeavor is little compared to struggle ALS victims and their families face. I've set a personal goal at $1,000. So I need your help. Would you please consider making a donation of any amount (donations by US residents are tax-deductible)? Let's make sure ALS awareness/funding not end with the end of the Ice-Bucket-Challenge trend.
I hope that you'll share this incredible adventure with me - by supporting me in my fundraising efforts. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Sincerely,
Brian Bloom
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How Does My Donation Make a Difference?
Your donation towards an Iron Phi athlete equally supports two very important things: Supporting ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) through research and support of ALS families and leadership development for undergraduate members of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.
At the end of each year calendar year, the LiveLikeLou Foundation grants dollars raised through Iron Phi to fund its initiatives that support ALS research, scholarships to support the higher education goals of ALS dependents, and summer camp experiences for children who have a parent or grandparent with ALS.
Dollars used for undergraduate leadership development have and continue to help Phi Delta Theta educate more of its undergraduate members as they work to “Become the Greatest Version of Themselves.”
