Spinal safety message inspires students
MARCH 2009
A spinal awareness program is inspiring Queensland students to practise safe behaviours and think about the consequences of their actions.
Last year some 70,000 students from more than 400 Queensland primary and high schools attended a Spinal Education Awareness Team (SEAT) presentation.
SEAT presenter Wayne Horkings shares his story and important injury prevention messages with Woodhill State School students.
One of those schools, Amiens State School, near Stanthorpe, has had three SEAT visits in five years.
Principal Christine Dolley said students responded well to the program because Stanthorpe-based SEAT presenter John Cobon connected with the students.'John's story of how he sustained his spinal cord injury playing Rugby union really opens the kids' eyes to the fact it could easily happen to them,' Ms Dolley said.
As well as the injury prevention message, Ms Dolley said students learnt that people using wheelchairs want to be treated the same as everyone else.
Each year, 90 Queenslanders incur a spinal cord injury - an average of one person every four days.
Between 15 and 30 are the most common ages to sustain a spinal cord injury, and awareness programs such as SEAT are vital before or during this high-risk period to prevent young people making a potentially disastrous decision.
This year, SEAT aims to speak to 80,000 Queensland students.
To host SEAT at your school, phone 3391 2044, email areaofneedunit@medicalboard.qld.gov.au or visit the website 
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