Hive Cancer Support launches children's workshop in Irish

Derry’s Hive Cancer Support (formerly known as Pink Ladies Cancer Support Group) has launched an innovative project aimed at reducing the risk of cancer in children.

‘Díograis do Dothuigse’ is the Irish language version of HIVE’s children’s workshop, ‘Reduce Your Risk Children’s Tool Kit’.

Speaking to Derry News following the official launch in Derry’s Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin on Wednesday, Jacquie Loughrey, HIVE’s education and prevention officer said the project had been running in local primary schools and youth clubs for four years.

She said: “The children’s workshop originated from the adult ‘Reduce Your Risk’ session which I delivered, which is all about cancer prevention - looking at alcohol, smoking, vaping, diet and exercise, alongside raising awareness of the environmental impact of certain chemicals in everyday products which would impact on human health. The adult programme was created in collaboration with Dr Melissa Kelly of Queens University,  Belfast, an expert in the public perception of endocrine disrupting chemicals.

“When we were running that eight years ago, parents told us they would love their children to hear information about certain chemicals in plastics and they asked us to run a workshop specifically for children.

“In the children’s workshop, we look at all the cancer prevention risks known through public health intervention, including smoking, vaping, diet and exercise.

“We also include a little bit about plastics - some of the chemicals that are in plastics and to avoid, particularly when you are microwaving in plastic and the impact of plastics on the environment. 

“We also look at healthy eating and food that is not ultra-processed and food that is not wrapped in packaging, because some of these chemicals are in the packaging.” 

The HIVE children’s workshop was developed along with primary school teachers, followed by focus groups with children.

“They told us the best way for children to learn was to engage in activities they enjoy,” said Jacquie. “So it is based around a wordsearch. 

“The children have to colour certain words in red if they think they are harmful for the environment and health, and colour in green if they think they are beneficial or helpful to health.

“We also use memory cards and jigsaws. Then the children play ‘chemical detective’ where we have different products that are in everyday use and the children have to search for words using a magnifying glass. We then do a Q and A session, asking the children what they remember. In the middle of all that, we were looking at how we could engage more people. Cancer doesn’t discriminate. There are no borders and it doesn’t know any languages, so the Irish schools were evolving and we were asked to come into quite a few of the bunscoileanna. 

“As a result, we thought there would be a place for having a tool kit translated into the Irish language and finding people who could deliver it in Irish.

“We had a lovely volunteer working with us at the time, Sinéad McGowan, one of three students at Ulster University doing degrees in Irish. 

“Sinéad recruited two friends and they took the whole English kit and translated it into Irish. We went back to the educational suppliers in town - Creative Activities - and we got Gavin Doherty to sit with us to help us develop this Irish kit.”

Jacquie then took the prototype Irish language kit, which is aimed at 11 year olds (Primary 7) to Bunscoil Cholmcille in Steelstown.

She added: “Máire Mhic Lochlainn, who is the Principal, allowed us to come in and do some trial runs with the P7 class.  This gave the Ulster University students a wee bit of practice delivering it in Irish and seeing what the response was from the children. 

“It went down a treat. They absolutely loved it. We then decided we would launch it. All in all, it is a beautiful kit and it delivers the message regarding the environmental impacts on human health, as well as the health prevention message, which is key, around all the risks for cancer diagnosis.

“The kids get it and they love it and they have good craic during the 45 minutes,” said Jacquie, who added, “the main points we want young people to take away is that they have to eat well, avoid ultra-processed food, continue with their exercise, eat their greens. 

“They also learn about saving the environment and reducing their risk of exposure to some of the chemicals and the whole environmental message.”