It's not easy to look dignified as someone pours a bucket of ice and water over your head, but Toyota president Akio Toyoda manages better than most. Toyoda's dunking is all in the name of the globally-recognized 'Ice Bucket Challenge' for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, known by its acronym ALS and also known as Motor Neurone Disease.

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The idea of the challenge—if you haven't already been made aware—is to donate money to ALS organizations either in lieu of, or as well as having a bucket of ice water dumped over your head. Motor Authority has already participated (with a bigger bucket than most) and donated, while several other high-profile personalities including former President George W. Bush, astronaut Buzz Aldrin and rapper Eminem have also taken the challenge.

In Toyoda's video, he takes the opportunity to remember a close friend and colleague who succumbed to the disease, before adding his hope that awareness of ALS grows and that sufferers take some small comfort from the charity exercise. After the challenge, he nominates Nissan Vice Chairman Toshiyuki Shiga, Toyota Dealer Association Chairman Kanetaka Hisatsune and Sparx Group President Shuhei Abe to take on the challenge. Any readers wishing to donate can do so by visiting the ALS Association website.

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