The University Futsal Team has donated €600 which were collected through various initiatives on and off the University of Malta campus. Such initiatives included fundraising activities during official National Futsal League matches, and during the RIDT Futsal Friendlies.
This amount will be used for research in ALS, a motor neuron disease. The University of Malta Research Innovation and Development Trust (RIDT) is a trust fund focused on tertiary-level research that aims to strengthen investment in high-calibre research and development across every faculty and department within the University.
The University Futsal Team was founded two years ago primarily to involve students in this particular sport which now competes in the National Futsal League. This is a joint project by the Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU) and the Malta University Sports Club (MUSC), under the patronage of Mdina Knights FC. This year the team is in its second season with a squad, coaching staff and committee made up of students or fresh graduates.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or as widely known, ALS, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The world famous Ice Bucket Challenge raised a lot of awareness about this disease, and the way in which it affects muscles leading to their degeneration and hardening. This reduces the abilities of those affected drastically.
The University Futsal Team has joined forces with RIDT in order to promote such research efforts whilst encouraging other student entities to contribute. This initiative goes hand-in-hand with KSU’s latest initiative where students can contribute a minimum part of their stipend in aid to research activity which takes place at the University of Malta.