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03/10: Healthy Heroes: Vancouver youth make films to inspire Olympic/Paralympic spirit
(Vancouver) Just a week after the closing of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and one day before the opening of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, 20 youth from Vancouver’s Eastside are celebrating healthy heroes in their community by showcasing five short documentary films they were inspired to create. Their videos are being streamed on the 2010 Legacies Now website, as well as the BC Cancer Agency’s new youth-oriented www.hi5living.org website.
The Healthy Heroes program, supported by the BC Cancer Agency Prevention Programs, helps youth identify people in their community who exemplify and inspire healthy lifestyle choices, from nutritious eating, to exercise, to tobacco-free living. The Healthy Heroes program is a partner program with 2010 Legacies Now’s Heroes Live Here program (www.2010legaciesnow/heroeslivehere).
In January, working alongside youth leaders at the Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House (http://preteen.froghollow.bc.ca) and mentored by students on the Capilano University Documentary Program (www.filmschoolvancouver.com/programs-documentary.php), the young filmmakers took their cameras and the Olympic spirit to the streets of Vancouver in search of their “healthy heroes.”
“This project is what the Olympic/Paralympic spirit is all about: bringing people together to challenge each other, learn from each other, and help each other learn to overcome the obstacles that come in life by making choices to create positive change for themselves and others,” says Lori Petryk, a Cancer Prevention Coordinator with BC Cancer Agency Prevention Programs.
From celebrities to sisters, the five groups of children aged 9-13 each identified a healthy hero to profile in their short film. “It was an honour to be involved with the Healthy Heroes program,” said Olympic athlete and Vancouver Canuck forward Daniel Sedin. “As a professional athlete, having a healthy lifestyle is vital to my success. To be able to encourage youth in my community to do the same is very rewarding." Other heroes students chose include: Terry Fox, David Suzuki, Sally Ng, a Frog Hollow Youth Leader, and Julianna, one of the children’s older sisters
“This is so cool: Action!” says 11-year-old Matthew while practicing with the camera gear during a production meeting with the Capilano University documentary students. His group selected him to direct the Daniel Sedin documentary. “Daniel is my hero because he inspires me to stay active and work hard to become a professional athlete. I got to learn who Daniel Sedin’s healthy hero is and how he lives a healthy lifestyle.”
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The BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is committed to reducing the incidence of cancer, reducing the mortality from cancer, and improving the quality of life of those living with cancer. It provides a comprehensive cancer control program for the people of British Columbia by working with community partners to deliver a range of oncology services, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, research, education, supportive care, rehabilitation and palliative care. The BC Cancer Foundation raises funds to support research and enhancements to patient care at the BC Cancer Agency. www.bccancer.bc.ca
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Allison Colina
Communications
BC Cancer Agency
Tel: 604.877.6261
Toll-free: 1.800.663.3333,
ext. 4813
acolina@bcts.hnet.bc.ca
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