Dr. Amy Wilstermann and her Honors Cancer course visited a local school in January 2015 to explain cancer to K-1 students. The college class was invited to the elementary school because one boy in the class was going through chemotherapy. There was also a girl in the class was diagnosed with cancer as a toddler, but she is currently in remission.
While at Evergreen Elementary, CancerEd piloted the Cells and Cell Division lesson, to provide students with a basic understanding of cells. After students learned about healthy cells, Dr. Wilstermann used the Cookie Recipe lesson to explain how healthy cells turn into cancer cells. When copying a cookie recipe for a friend, if the recipe is not copied correctly the cookies will not taste the same. Dr. Wilstermann went on to explain that this holds true for cells as well; if the instructions inside of a cell is copied incorrectly, a cell may start to divide uncontrollably. After elementary students understood the difference between normal cells and cancer cells, students did the Helping Those with Cancer lesson. This allowed students to practice empathy. Students were given a card with either "parent", "friend", "teacher", or "grandparent" written on it. They then wrote and colored how that person might be feeling if they have cancer and out the outside around the person, they came up with ideas to help the person with cancer.
It was a rewarding experience for everyone involved. The teacher Mrs. Witteveen said:
“We just think it’s really empowering for them to have knowledge and hope and faith... [w]e just don’t want them thinking that cancer is a scary word and everyone dies.”
Perhaps students will remember these lessons the next time they hear word “cancer” or perhaps they will only remember that the lessons were fun. Hopefully this subject will become one surrounded by greater discussion starting at an early age.
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