Students to receive safety message | Ipswich News | Local News in Ipswich

IPSWICH school children will hear important injury prevention messages today that will help keep them safe in the schoolyard and beyond.

Spinal Education Awareness Team (SEAT) presenter Mark Farley will speak to children from Prep to year 7 at Leichhardt State School, while Robert Spencer will share his experience with Year 7 students from Raceview State School.

Collectively they have spoken to tens of thousands of school children in their voluntary roles about the danger of risky behaviours such as diving into water before checking its depth, not wearing a seatbelt or playing sports recklessly.

“There is currently no cure for a spinal cord injury – your spinal cord has the consistency of a banana and, once it’s damaged, you have to use a wheelchair for life,” Mr Farley said.

“I want to share my story with as many students as possible to prevent them from having a lifelong disability. I’m encouraging the kids I speak to in the next few weeks, before school holidays begin, to take even more care than usual this summer as this is the time when the majority of spinal cord injuries occur on the road and in the water.”

Spinal Injuries Association CEO Mark Henley said doctors often described a spinal cord injury as one of the worst you could sustain.

“The effect a spinal cord injury has on the body is colossal. Not only do newly-injured patients have to adjust to using a wheelchair, but their bladder and bowel control, body temperature, internal organs, balance, self confidence and emotional well-being are also affected,” Mr Henley said.

For more information on SEAT, or to book a free visit in 2010, visit www.spinal.com.au or email seat@spinal.com.au.