In recent days, the Ice Bucket Challenge has been undertaken by everyone from Ben Affleck to the crew of Virgin Radio's The Kris Fade Show.
But before the campaign to film the dumping of a bucket of ice water over one’s head, or donate to the ALS Association – or better yet, both – went viral earlier this month, the baking superstar Buddy Valastro landed in Abu Dhabi for a sold-out cake-decorating competition at Emirates Palace.
Valastro's mother, Mary, was diagnosed with ALS (better known as Lou Gehrig's disease), in 2012 during season five of his reality show Cake Boss. Since then, viewers have watched her struggle with the disease, which has a typical life expectancy of two to five years after diagnosis.
“My mum’s doing as well as she can,” says Valastro. “It’s a tough, debilitating disease. She’s talking. She’s still breathing. She’s doing good for having ALS. It’s a slow- progressing form of ALS. It’s been almost seven years since her symptoms started.”
Valastro assures viewers his mum will appear in season seven, which starts filming soon. “We’re getting her the best care the world has to offer,” he says. Mary, it turns out, has been receiving stem cell treatments. Early studies have shown that stem cells can slow the progression of ALS and extend the lives in some patients. Valastro and his family have also set up the Momma Mary Foundation to raise awareness of the disease and raise funds to support ALS research.
Season four of Cake Boss is currently on TLC on OSN channel 212, Sundays to Thursdays. Season two of Valastro's show Next Great Baker is also currently running on Sundays (until September 7), also on TLC.
On Fatafeat, season three of Cake Boss can be seen on Saturday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday; and the second season of Valastro's reality show Kitchen Boss is broadcast daily.
• To donate to the Momma Mary Foundation, go to www.mommamaryfoundation.org; for more on the Ice Bucket Challenge and to donate, go to www.alsa.org
sjohnson@thenational.ae
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Alan Rushbridger, Canongate
If you go
- The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
- The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
- The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
Last-16
France 4
Griezmann (13' pen), Pavard (57'), Mbappe (64', 68')
Argentina 3
Di Maria (41'), Mercado (48'), Aguero (90 3')
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 720hp
Torque: 770Nm
Price: Dh1,100,000
On sale: now
