Kids encouraged to be Gutsy
August 17, 2010
YESTERDAY the GI Cancer
Institute launched its latest
campaign, The Gutsy Challenge,
which is aimed at getting kids to
eat more fruit and vegies, as well as
raising cancer research funds.
Present at the Birchgrove
Primary School launch was the
NSW Minister for Education, Verity
Firth, who spoke in front of a
classroom full of eager primary
school children about the benefits
of healthy eating.
The Gutsy Challenge basically
involves school children getting
sponsored to eat two pieces of fruit
and four vegetables every day for a
whole week in September, with all
money raised going to the GI
Institute to fund clinical research
into digestive cancer.
Led by a large orange stomach
mascot named Gutsy (which looks
a lot like a mandarin and got a lot
of laughs from the kids) and his two
friends Gastro Girl and Flex, the
Challenge also helps children to
understand more about their bodies
and how they work, through an
interactive website.
Contained on the site are fun
interactive kid-friendly games and
lessons on nutrition, digestion,
selecting healthy foods, and parts
of the digestive system such as the
pancreas, stomach, liver, bowel and
oesophagus which can be accessed
at home or at school.
“The most exciting part of this
program is that it will teach you
how your body works... and make
sure you know how to stay healthy,”
said GI director Professor John Simes.
Simes also highlighted some
alarming figures which revealed
that around 500,000 school kids
are either overweight or obese.
“But we can do things to get
these figures down...people need to
begin early with healthy eating and
exercise,” he added.
The Challenge will launch in all
Australian states except WA
between now and September, and
through its efforts the Institute
hopes to raise $200,000.
For more information see
www.gutsychallenge.com.
Pictured above at the launch
(from left) are Jamie Parker, Mayor
of Leichardt; Christine Liddy, GI
Institute Director; Verity Firth, NSW
Minister for Education and Professor
John Simes, GI Institute Director.
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