FROM THE DIRECTOR OF WELLBEING, MATT PORTER
Beanies for Brain Cancer Thursday 24 May
In 2017 with the support of Channel Nine and the NRL Footy Show, Matt Callander the late father of Year 5 student Digger Callander, helped to raise over $2.3 million through the Beanie for Brain Cancer week.
The Mark Hughes Foundation (MHF) was formed in 2014 by former Rugby League footballer Mark Hughes following his diagnosis with high-grade brain cancer, to raise much needed awareness and funds to promote research into this terrible disease and provide patient support. Brain cancer is the biggest cancer killer of children under 10, and adults under 40. It is also the most underfunded. In conjunction with Channel Nine and the Mark Hughes Foundation, Round 12 of the NRL season has been identified as the Beanie for Brain Cancer Round. All funds raised are going directly towards brain cancer research and to support the victims of this terrible condition and their families.
To launch the NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round on Thursday 24 May, Channel Nine’s Today Show sports segment with Tim Gilbert will be broadcasting live from 5:30am on Bondi Beach, Sydney. During the course of the morning Waverley College students and their families are invited to take part in a World Record attempt to have the largest gathering of people wearing beanies.
We are asking for your participation in this momentous event. It’s easy, just send your student in full winter school uniform and an accompanying family member (in their Beanie of choice or purchase a MHF Beanie online or at the location) to Bondi Beach from 5.30am to be counted in the record, which will be finally tallied at 8.00am. To find out more about Beanie Day, make a donation of purchase a beanie online please go to https://beanie.markhughesfoundation.com.au/about/about-beanie-day/
Year 10 Parent Evening “Tips & Tools for Teens” 30 May 6:00-8:00pm
Year 10 parent, Rachel King, founder of Translational Neuroscience, has kindly volunteered her time to share knowledge and expertise on the developing brain in adolescence with her fellow Year 10 parents. Rachel has a B.A. (Psych.), a Master of Education (Educ. Psych.) UNSW and is near completion of a Master of Brain & Mind Sciences, Sydney University. Rachel’s special interest is the neurobiology of stress and its impact on brain development, behaviour and cognition and she has also researched emotional-behavioural problems with kids and teens.
The night is designed to meet other Year 10 parents, provide an opportunity to share experiences with other parents, gain knowledge of what’s happening internally for your son and walk away with some practical strategies for supporting your son and yourself during these teenage years.
Places will be limited to 50.
Year 11 P.A.R.T.Y excursion 31 May 2018
The Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) is conducting the Prevention of Alcohol and Risk –Related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y.) Program on 31 May 2018. This is an innovative in-hospital trauma injury prevention program targeting students in Year 11. Spaces are limited to 45 students only, if you would like your son to be involved please email mporter@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The aim of this program is to reduce the over representation of young adults in injury and trauma statistics. Young people are particularly vulnerable to risk taking behaviors. International studies showed a decline in risk related injuries after exposing students to the often devastating consequences of their actions. The P.A.R.T.Y. Program was first established in Canada in 1986 and is now successfully operated by staff at established trauma hospitals at over 100 sites around the world including Australia. The program is kindly being sponsored by AAMI Skilled Drivers.
The P.A.R.T.Y. Program is a one day program which allows students to see first-hand the consequences of risk- taking behaviors in everyday life whilst learning how to recognize and mitigate risk. The program starts at 9:00am and finishes at 3:00 pm. On each program day the students will:
- Hear from paramedics, fire and rescue personnel, police, trauma doctors, surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists on the harsh reality of poor choices
- Spend time in interactive hands-on sessions in the Emergency Department, Intensive Care and Rehabilitation Units to understand how it would feel to be a trauma patient and live with a severe injury or permanent disability.
- Meet with a trauma patient and an injury survivor who share their stories on how their life has changed and what it is like to have a severe life changing disability
Given the intense nature of the program, the students may find this program very confronting. The P.A.R.T.Y. team advises you as a parent to discuss the program with your child to help prepare them prior to their participation.
Please refer to the RNSH P.A.R.T.Y. Program Website for more detailed information: https://www.nslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/HealthInformation/party.
