アイスバケツチャレンジの普及に尽力、ＡＬＳ患者の米男性が死去　３７歳

【ワシントンＡＦＰ＝時事】筋萎縮性側索硬化症（ALS）の治療研究支援を目的としたチャリティー運動「アイスバケツチャレンジ」の世界的な普及に貢献したALS患者の米国人男性が死去した。37歳だった。男性の支援団体が22日、明らかにした。（写真は資料写真）
　ニューヨーク州出身のパトリック・クインさんは２０１３年、運動神経系の障害により筋肉が徐々に動かなくなる難病ＡＬＳと診断された。
　クインさんは「アイスバケツチャレンジ」の発案者ではないが、家族と友人と共に世界的な社会現象へ発展させることに貢献した。
　２０１４年にソーシャルメディア上で大きな反響を呼んだ「アイスバケツチャレンジ」は、バケツに入った氷水を頭からかぶる様子をインターネット上に投稿し、治療研究支援のための寄付を行い、次の挑戦者を指名するというもの。
　俳優のトム・クルーズさんやスティーブン・スピルバーグ監督、ビル・ゲイツ氏、ジョージ・Ｗ・ブッシュ元米大統領ら多くの著名人や芸能人、スポーツ選手も参加し、ＡＬＳ研究資金として２億２０００万ドル（約２３０億円）が集まったとされている。
　発案者の一人で、ＡＬＳと診断された米大学野球の元選手ピート・フレーツさんも昨年、３４歳で死去した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/11/24-12:10）

An American man who helped drive the global phenomenon known as the Ice Bucket Challenge to tackle a deadly neurodegenerative disease has died at the age of 37, his team said Sunday.
Patrick Quinn, from New York state, was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2013.
It is with great sadness that we must share the passing of Patrick early this morning, his team wrote in a post in Quinn's ALS advocacy Facebook group, Quinn for the Win.
We will always remember him for his inspiration and courage in his tireless fight against ALS.
Quinn did not start the Ice Bucket Challenge, which took social media by storm in 2014, but he and his family and friends helped it become a global phenomenon.
Millions took up the challenge, which involved dousing themselves with a bucket of ice cold water and posting the video online, before making a donation to medical research and daring others to do the same.
A galaxy of celebrities, high-profile personalities and entire sports teams took part in the challenge, including Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, Bill Gates and even former US president George W. Bush.
The campaign has reportedly raised $220 million to fund research into ALS, whose sufferers' bodies slowly shut down as their nervous systems degenerate.
The condition, officially known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease after a baseball player who died of it in 1941.
Pete Frates, a former US college baseball player diagnosed with ALS who also inspired the ice bucket challenge, died last year at the age of 34.