The Irish Cancer Society raised £1.5 million on Daffodil Day this year. This money will be used for several projects: to make the countrywide night nursing service available free of charge to all families; to continue funding the two-year higher Diploma in Oncological Nursing at UCD and introduce a one-year fast-track to help address the current shortage of cancer nurses; to increase the number of cancer liaison nurses in hospitals; and to provide Internet support in addition to its phone helpline. One in three people will develop cancer during their lifetime and there is a new case of cancer about every 25 minutes in the Republic. Freefone helpline: 1800-200700, website: www.cancer.ie
Doctors believe they may have made a significant breakthrough in the treatment of prostate cancer. A US study of more than 1,500 men found evidence to support the use of radiation therapy in patients with localised prostate cancer and found giving patients a higher than usual radiation dose can improve survival chances. Previously, doctors had questioned whether surgery or radiation therapy had any benefits, especially for older men, as there was little scientific evidence that radiation helped prostate cancer sufferers to live longer. (Jefferson Health: www.jefferson health.org/news/2000/071400. html)
"Vote with your feet" is the message of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), which wants consumers to boycott food outlets with poor hygiene. Foodborne illnesses result from poor hygiene and food-handling practices, says Dr Patrick Wall, the chief executive of the FSAI: "If an area that is seen by the customers is not clean - be it in restaurant, takeaway or deli counter - then it is likely that the food preparation areas not visible will be far from ideal." He believes consumers should complain to the management of an unhygienic premises and take their custom elsewhere. Poor food hygiene can also be reported to the environmental health officers in the health boards.
Scientists believe they have discovered why a good night's sleep is so important. A UK study found that as our bodies sleep, our brains may be hard at work, "replaying" the events of the day, sorting them out and consolidating them into manageable chunks of in- formation that form our memories. By scanning the brains of people who were asleep, they found the same areas of the brain which are involved in learning new tasks when awake are still processing in- formation while we are asleep. (Reuters Health)
Girls who worry about their weight could be weakening their bones. A bad diet or eating disorder are known to weaken a girl's bones, but a Canadian study of 50 healthy pre-teen girls found those who were more concerned about their weight than average were significantly more likely to have lower bone densities, which can lead to osteoporosis in later life. A previous study found female college students who worry too much have higher levels of urinary cortisol, a stress hormone which has a negative effect on bone development.
The incidence of obesity in the Republic has increased significantly in the past 10 years, according to the new Ireland Food Consumption survey to be published later this year. Currently, one in three women and one in two men are over-weight. A major contributing factor is lack of exercise - 75 per cent of adults watch more than 25 hours of television a week.
lifelines@irish-times.ie