City schools make the grade in delivering school sport

Gold status for Oaklands, Blackhall, Trinity and Royal High 

Local schools are among 35 from across the capital to have been awarded a prestigious national award from sportscotland, the national agency for sport, for this academic year.

Continue reading City schools make the grade in delivering school sport

“A state of denial”: UN Human Rights expert condemns UK Government

‘Poverty is a political choice. Austerity could easily have spared the poor, if the political will had existed to do so’ – Professor Philip Alston Continue reading “A state of denial”: UN Human Rights expert condemns UK Government

Children treating their way to a health timebomb

CHILDREN in Scotland are eating more their recommended daily sugar intake – in sweet treats alone. Research to mark Sugar Awareness Week shows kids in Scotland are eating the equivalent of two-and-a-half 1kg bags of sugar a year just by going to friends’ birthday parties. Continue reading Children treating their way to a health timebomb

Don’t ignore carbon monoxide poisoning dangers, Scottish households urged

Households in Scotland need to be more vigilant against the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning as a survey reveals two thirds of people have not installed a CO alarm to protect themselves, suggesting the very real threat is not being taken seriously. Continue reading Don’t ignore carbon monoxide poisoning dangers, Scottish households urged

Letter: World Pancreatic Cancer Day

Dear Editor,

Around 784 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every year in the UK and tragically one in four people won’t survive for a month. Three in four won’t survive for a year making pancreatic cancer the quickest killing cancer.

Despite being the cancer with the worst outcomes, many people are unaware of the disease and the devastating impact it can have. As World Pancreatic Cancer Day approaches (15thNovember) I urge your readers to find out more about the disease and spread the world about its symptoms.

An increased awareness of the symptoms, which include tummy and back pain, indigestion, itchy skin or yellow skin or eyes, unexplained weight loss and oily floating poo, could lead to more people being diagnosed at an earlier stage. The earlier people are diagnosed, the earlier they can be treated it may increase their chances of being eligible for life-saving surgery.

Your readers can find more information about World Pancreatic Cancer Day at www.worldpancreaticcancerday.org or seek support from myself or one of my colleagues on the Pancreatic Cancer UK Support Line (Freecall: 0808 801 0707).

Thank you,

Dianne Dobson

Pancreatic Cancer UK Specialist Nurse