MENS HEALTH: The Men's Health Forum is running a men's health education campaign at the National Ploughing Championships in Tullow, County Carlow from tomorrow until Friday.
Called: It's Your Life We're Talking About, the campaign will include a free consultation with a healthcare professional. A Men's Health meeting, co-ordinated by RTÉ's sports commentator, Jimmy McGee and Dr Michael O'Brien will go ahead tomorrow at 2.30 p.m. in the ICA Marquee at the National Ploughing Championships. See also www.mhfi.org
REALITY THERAPY: Interested in developing a more collaborative working environment at home and/or in the office? Keen to learn how to function better without delving into your past? If so, Reality Therapy and its adjunct, Choice Theory, may be of interest. Developed by American psychiatrist, William Glasser, its central focus is based on the premise that everything we do is an attempt to satisfy our needs for love/belonging, freedom, fun, power and survival. An intensive course runs from October 26th - 30th at the Blackrock Education Centre, Blackrock, Dublin. Cost €€300. Booking on Tel: 041 988 7564. See also www.wgii.ie
TEEN CANCER: "Bad Times, Good Times, Teenage Cancer Our Story" is a collection of personal stories written by members of CanTeen, Irelands National Teenage Cancer Support Group. Founded in 1990 its aims to empower and support teenagers with cancer. Members range in age from 12-25 and the group has won several national awards for efforts which include an educational book for newly diagnosed teenagers and a video. For more information contact canteen@oceanfree.net or log onto www.canteen.ie
DOG DETECTIVES: New research has concluded that dogs can be trained to detect bladder cancer by "smelling" urine. Tumours are thought to produce volatile organic compounds with distinctive odours. The dogs correctly selected bladder cancer urine on 22 out of 54 occasions, an average success rate of 41 per cent, compared to 14 per cent expected by chance alone. Their capacity to recognise a characteristic bladder cancer odour was independent of other chemical aspects of the urine, such as the presence of blood.
BREASTFEEDING: Having previously breastfed, deciding to breastfeed early in pregnancy and having completed third-level education were found to be the most significant factors in the choice to breastfeed, in mothers surveyed in the North Eastern Health Board region. The study reported in the Irish Medical Journal, found 51.4 per cent of mothers initiated breastfeeding, but only 21.1 per cent were still breastfeeding 14 weeks later. National Breastfeeding Week begins on Friday.