Author: Helena Costa

Embrace the egg…my final weeks

My time at the RHN has sadly reached its end but I know this isn’t the end for my project.

During the 3rd week I spent my time putting together a presentation for primary schools where I had to channel my inner child. I found it quite difficult explaining such a serious disability in terms that children could understand while still making the presentations enjoyable. I found some resources online from charities that help explain neuro-disability to young children so that they can better understand the condition when it affects a loved one. To make the presentations interactive I came up with a few props and experiments including a ‘brain box’ that will be used to explain the touch sense to the children (as you can see I’m very proud of my box) and a jelly bean taste experiment to highlight the importance of the smell sense.

The last week was spent adding the finishing touches to my presentations and collating information on local primary and secondary schools that I am going to contact with regards to my project. Unfortunately schools have broken up for the summer so it’s been difficult to get in contact with them but I’ll keep trying and hopefully in September I’ll have more schools interested in my project.

My last day at the RHN was filled with cake and eggs (odd mix I know) and was one of my favourite days there. One of the major aims of my project is to raise awareness on how vulnerable our brains are to damage and how important it is to protect them. Logically, this ended up with us making a series of different ‘egg helmets’ out of polystyrene cups and dropping the eggs in the car park to show what a massive difference wearing a helmet can make (tragically only 3/7 of the eggs survived).

I think it’s fairly obvious which prototype survived.

Working with the people at the RHN and seeing the amazing difference they make to people’s lives was one of the best experiences I could’ve asked for, I’ve learnt so much about the brain and how much we take it for granted and I really hope my project will benefit the charity.

 

 

Week 2

Week 2 is now over and I’m happy to say I’ve achieved more than I thought in the second week. After all the research I had completed in the first week it was time to organise some ideas and start building up the presentations. This was harder than I first thought.

When first started compiling different parts of my research into a presentation I realised there was a bit more to it than just adding information. The trickiest part I’ve been finding to achieve is  conveying the devastating effects that neuro-disability has on people’s lives whilst maintaining a light-hearted, fun presentation for the children. Another obstacle that I’ve encountered is trying to cater the presentations to the different age groups and academic levels in schools. Researching school curriculums and contacting old teachers has helped significantly in overcoming this hurdle.

My project has also required me to show a creative side to myself, which I didn’t even know existed, when trying to design and come up with interactive games or activities that can involve the children. I had been brainstorming some ideas with my supervisor, but now that she’s gone away on holiday I’m having to come up with the ideas myself which is a lot more difficult than you may think.

So, after the second week I’ve managed to finish a rough version of my presentations aimed at secondary school kids in the years 7-8 and 9-10 whilst simultaneously discovering my creative side, it’s been great.

Week 1

Despite being a 1st year Biology student, the amount of knowledge I have regarding neuroscience and neuro-disability is basic to say the most, much like the majority of the younger generation since the wonders of the brain and its workings are not a majorly touched on in the school curriculum.

The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability is an awe inspiring charity that provides specialist care for patients with neuro-disability and aims not only to rehabilitate patients but to improve their quality of life as a whole. For my project I will be working with the RHN with the aim of producing a toolbox of presentations that the hospital can use when visiting schools to raise awareness for the neuro-disability and the work of the charity, some of which will also be presented by myself.

My first day at the charity was smoother and more comfortable than expected. On my first day I was given a desk, introduced to colleagues and given a tour of the beautiful 18th century building. During the tour I was shown some of the therapy rooms and computer rooms which contained lots of new and exciting technology such as eye gaze machines (tracks pupil movement to communicate) and different controls on computers that can be adapted depending on the mobility of the patients.

The first week consisted heavily of research on the charity, neuro-disability and the brain which I need to include in the presentations. The research was fairly independent however my supervisor also has a wealth of knowledge on everything to do with the charity and neuroscience so of course she was of great help. She provided me with lots of resources to do with not only the charity but also neuroscience and is always teaching me new ways to make my presentation more engaging.  At the start of the week I also contacted and visited my old secondary school to tell them about my project and now I am booked in for the next academic year to deliver my presentation to year 7 and 8.

So far the 1st week flew by and I can’t wait for what’s to come