Fraser Coast students receive vital safety messages courtesy of Council

Fraser Coast Anglican College will tomorrow (Tuesday, 6 October) host the Spinal Education Awareness Team (SEAT), courtesy of Fraser Coast Regional Council.

Earlier this year, Council awarded SEAT a $1,000 community grant, which would enable SEAT presenters to share their experience and vital safety messages with 1,000 primary and secondary school students throughout the city at no cost to the schools.

SEAT presenter Wayne Leo congratulated the Council for helping SEAT to share powerful messages about safety on the road, in the water and on the sports field.

“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, which is why SEAT is so important at reaching children with its injury prevention messages,” Wayne said.

“I want to share my story with as many students as possible to prevent them from having a lifelong disability. Since I began with SEAT 22 years ago, I have spoken to almost 245,000 students throughout Queensland.”

Wayne will speak with more than 150 students from Year 8 and 9 about how to stay safe and prevent a life-long spinal cord injury.

Spinal Injuries Association CEO Mark Henley said the support of Council was much appreciated as prevention was currently the only cure for a spinal cord injury.

“Doctors often describe a spinal cord injury as one of the worst injures you can sustain,” Mr Henley said.

“The effect it 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 wellbeing are also affected.

As a service of the Spinal Injuries Association, SEAT has been operating in Queensland for the past 22 years, with almost 1.3 million children viewing the program in that time.

Issued 5 October.