Although one of the most curable cancers, it has been advised that all boys do check regularly to see whether they have any of the symptons from a backache to an ache in their adomen. Whilst many think that personal health will not be restored after treatment for this cancer, many famous sportsmen have managed to get back to what they love doing after therapy. Lance Armstrong, Tom Green and Jimmy White have all been affected medically by this cancer  but not mentally and if you read their biographies you will read that they all have managed to overcome it.

Here are a few websites you may want to visit to find out more about testicular cancer:

www.keepyoureyeontheball.org.uk

www.carpetestes.org

Breast Awareness and Cervical Screening

Mrs Mayes asked Helen Dyer the school nurse to talk to year 10 and 11 girls about breast awareness and cervical screening. She gave us information, statistics and risk factors. For example breasts don’t develop until puberty. Most girls breasts starts to develop at the age of 9 to 11. Some statistics made the girls think about how lucky they are. Some of the girls realised that 3 of the people in their sets could have breast cancer in the near future. They were also told that 80% of breast cancer occurs in women over the age of 50, and the risk increases with age. Another shock to their system was that 300 men each year will develop breast cancer.

What risk factors were there?
If 2 or more relatives in the family history had breast cancer, your chance increases, even more so if it was your mum or sister before the age of 50. One of the biggest shockers that the contraceptive pill increases your chance slightly but once you come off it your chance lowers again.

Helen Dyer was surprised by the reactions of some of the girls when given the facts. Many girls included themselves in the discussion. Helen tried to make it fun but still serious by trying to talk like a teenager. This made more girls contribute because they felt more comfortable. The PowerPoint and video showed what we need look out for and how to prevent it.  We would like to say thank you to Helen Dyer for making KS4 girls more aware of this subject.

Natasha Catchpole and Georgina Kidd-  Year 10

Healthy Eating Talk Review

Before Christmas, Mrs. Mayes arranged for all year 10 and 11 girls’ P.E groups to be visited by two nutritionist representatives from Great Yarmouth to advise us on healthy eating. Mrs. Mayes’ group was visited by Becky, who took us through each of the food groups and explained the best options for eating healthily. These food groups were: carbohydrates, fibre, fat, protein and dairy. As well as offering examples of foods from each group, she discussed the recommended daily intake and portion sizes. She also explained their benefits and uses; for example, the recommended daily intake for fruit and veg was 5 a day as they provide iron and vitamins such as vitamin C, which is useful for the growth of teeth and bones. The daily allowance for sweet foods was, at the most, one a day as they often contain a lot of fat and are not good for your teeth or heart. We were also told that we should not consume too much fat or calories as they can clog up our arteries and even lead to heart attacks. We were told that it is good to eat plenty of fibre as it is good for our digestive system. This includes foods such as bran. Carbohydrates are examples of starchy foods and included things like potatoes and pasta.

Towards the end of the session, we were set an exercise of putting certain foods into their food groups. As we left, we were given an information leaflet and a copy of the food group table to review. Overall, it was an extremely beneficial experience for everyone.

By Patrice Bunter and Becca Foister Year 10

Sharon Davies- Coming to this school in the Sports Festival

 Sharon Davies, MBE who was born in Plymouth, Devon is a successful swimmer and has represented the United Kingdom on many occasions, picking up many prestigious awards in the process. Learning to swim at the age and six and training seriously two years later at her initial club in Bracknell and Wokingham, she made her first representation for the UK in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, aged 13! Even-though her performance in these was not enough to get her any medals, she made herself what has been described as a ‘household name’ and continued to swim. In fact, it was one year later in 1977 when Sharon won herself two bronze medals at the European Championships.
At the age of 18, Davies built up her television profile and a career in modelling. This was not a permanent halt to her sporting life; it was a temporary break and in 1989, she dived back in the water picking up two more medals at the 1990 Commonwealth Games. It was in 1994, that she hung up her swimsuit for the last time; but before you could say ‘Breastroke,’ Davies ventured even more into the world of television. She appeared as a spokeswoman in 2006, supporting the British Olympics in the process and became an official commentator at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
This year she visits us here at Flegg High School, during the annual Sports Festival. We welcome her to witness hundreds of motivated athletes, footballers, tennis players, basket-ball players and gymnasts and hope to share what will be another fantastic festival with her.