Would a class about breast cancer be interesting to most 10th graders?

NurseWeasel · Jan 12, 2003

I don't think so. They'd be what, 15? They'd be mortified at that age, in my opinion.

How about calling the teachers back and asking for suggestions? They work with the kids almost every day, should know what they need to know and what they're interested in.

louloubell1 · Jan 12, 2003

My only experience with kids that age is drawn from having been a kid that age once. . .in a galaxy and time far, far away it would seem. I personally don't think that as a young teen that topic would have been very interesting to me. I say that mostly because of the age group of those at risk for the disease. I think a lot of teens would not be interested simply because they may think it is not relative to their personal lives at this point (though I realize learning to do a BSE would be beneficial to young women at this age). Maybe choosing a topic that teens would perceive as being more relevant to their stage in life would yield you better results, perhaps something having to do with drugs, alcohol, STDs, depression, suicide, etc.

Lou

Convicted of placenta previa & serving time on couch arrest ~day 10

WashYaHands · Jan 12, 2003

I once manned a booth at a highschool health fair with the breast cancer models and testicular cancer models. The students were nervous about it and cracked all kinds of jokes. The boys took the testicle model and played hackysack with it. When I stopped them and said, "hey, testicular cancer is most prevalent in males your age, you need to know what these feel like", their response was, "oh, we know what they feel like". If you present this topic, be prepared for hecklers and jokes.

One of the most effective projects that I've done was on STI's. I fill 3 oz. dixie cups with water, but fill one with clear windex. This represents body fluids. I ask each student to take a cup and I give them 15-20 minutes to mingle (quietly). I tell them that I want them to share the water in their cup with at least one other person, more if they choose, and only with people that they trust. After they mingle each student gets a pH dip stick that turns blue if submerged in the windex solution, but not the water. In the end, more than one person has a blue dip stick and I tell them that if your dipstick turned blue, you've contracted an STI. Things get really quiet at that point and then they start trying to figure out who gave them the STI. Some of them get pretty angry. At any rate, it makes a point and it's a good lead in to the STI lecture.

NurseWeasel · Jan 12, 2003

Now THAT would be a cool one, and relevant to the population! Great idea, WashYaHands!!!

sunnygirl272 · Jan 12, 2003

wash rocks!!!!

researchrabbit · Jan 12, 2003

Another great presentation for high school students is medical ethics. You can get some GREAT discussions going, especially when it comes to medical research. If you want some ideas, PM me -- I've given a similar presentation for the past ten years now.

I usually start out with history -- Nazi war crimes trials. Then the safeguards put in place on research afterwards. Then I bring up the Tuskegee syphilis experiments. THEN I ask if they think research subjects are protected NOW...and bring up a recent case (my current favorite is the lead paint one done through an associate of Johns Hopkins). Then we talk about some of the research in the news; what do they think? What's ethical? Are the patient's rights protected?

louloubell1 · Jan 12, 2003

I love that idea WashYaHands! How appropriate: a blue dipstick. LOL!

Lou

Couch arrest day 10

RNonsense · Jan 12, 2003

oooooooooooh WashYaHands...I like that!!! Hopefully still makes them all go "hmmmmm..."

susanmary · Jan 12, 2003

Sports injuries would be an excellent topic -- most frequent, how to prevent, etc. You could tie in a careers to this -- sports medicine, orthopedics, etc. Make it meaningful & to-the-point! Good luck.

mona b RN, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2003

I think it is a good idea. There is never a bad time to learn about our bodies. Sure, you will get the giggles and the gross comments but these kids need to learn about things that can kill them. With cancer on the rise, (especially breast cancer) knowledge is definately power. So I guess it depends on what the objectives of your presentation are. Is it supposed to be light and on the surface or do you really want to teach these kids about cancer?

On another note, young women need information and they need to be taught to be proactive early on. They need to learn that they need to be agggressive in matters of their own health. Nobody else is gonna do it for them. Of course this applies to young men as well. Probably more so because men typically don't go for checkups and such. We teach them drivers ed and from what my kids tell me the movies they show in that class are gross and to the point. So maybe we should teach the youngins about cancer. To answer the question "Would a class be interesting..." probably not but you might reach one person who would use the info wisely

mona b

lynnintn · Jan 12, 2003

I was on bedrest with my last 2 babies; I was on a SQ brethine pump with my last one for 4 months; Just wanted ya to know I've been there and I hope you are doing okay.

Kim