More than 25 people stood in a row behind Tina Flink, 51. The afternoon was just hot enough at Easter Lake to warrant a bucket of ice water for the group, which, thanks to Flink, is just what they got.

Staff and associates of the Federal Way Life Care Center on Friday participated in the ALS ice bucket challenge, a trend that’s recently swept across the nation in an effort to raise money and awareness for the debilitating disease.

Flink, a resident of Life Care Center, suffers from ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, the illness is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

Flink, like others with ALS, cannot control many of her muscles because of her motor neuron degeneration.

Just three months ago, Flink was walking but now she’s confined to a wheelchair, uses a ventilation machine (BiPap) to breath at night and can speak but with some difficulty. However, her brain and thought processes are completely clear.

“The disease is really underfunded,” Flink said, adding the life expectancy after diagnosis is between two and five years. “People don’t know what it is or how devastating it is.”

She said she’s had many friends and family do the ice bucket challenge in honor of her but about a week-and-a-half before it happened, she requested to do it herself.

Several permission slips later, the group gathered to dump buckets of ice water all over themselves.

The ice bucket challenge has raised more than $79 million as of Aug. 25, $54 million more than the amount raised last year around this time, according to the ALS Association.

“As a person with ALS, I thought it was imperative to put a face to the disease,” she said. “… It affects everyone on the socioeconomic strata — young, old, rich, poor, black, white.”

Flink was diagnosed with ALS on Sept. 11, 2012 but said she had symptoms for a year prior.

Although the diagnosis affirmed her belief that there was something wrong, that she really was having issues, it was also crushing because there is no treatment.

Before Flink got sick, she was “very active” and worked as an accountant for a small manufacturing firm.

She also loved riding her 2006 Harley Davidson soft tail deluxe motorcycle. The “very retro” motorcycle was her third, adding that she and her husband met on a motorcycle.

But Flink is still very optimistic and positive and is grateful she gets to eat whatever she wants.

Actually, she said, gaining weight is preferable for people with the disease because it can prevent skin problems and help with bone density. Also, as her illness worsens, it will be hard for her to eat.

Flink’s 28-year-old daughter visits her often from Newport Beach, which is Flink’s highlight.

She’s also very thankful to her “extended family” at Life Care Center who made the ice bucket challenge possible.

“Without them, I can’t even do the simplest of things,” she said.

While Life Care Center Executive Director Danni Orne nominated their partner, Hallmark Manor in Federal Way, for the ice bucket challenge, Flink had her own ideas of who she wanted to nominate.

“I nominate the Hope Fellowship of Covington, the Renton Abate [motorcycle group], the Harley Owners Group Seattle Chapter and the Ladies of Harley Seattle Chapter,” Flink said with a smile.

Each participant of the Life Care Center ALS ice bucket challenge donated to the cause and many will participate in the upcoming “Walk to Defeat ALS” in Seattle in a group called “Tina’s Team.” The walk will be held on Sept. 13 at Seward Park.

To support Tina’s Team, visit http://web.alsa.org/site/TR?fr_id=10131&pg=entry.

To learn more about ALS or to donate to the ALS Association, visit alsa.org.