March 25: Eco Lunch & Learn Presentation
The Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce [BEST] and the Bermuda College will host the third in their Eco Lunch & Learn series presentation on Thursday [March 25] from 1.00pm to 2.00pm.
A spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce [BEST] and the Bermuda College are very pleased to announce the third in their Eco Lunch & Learn series presentation on Thursday, March 25th, from 1:00 to 2:00pm. The talk will be presented by clinical oncologist, Dr. Chris Fosker.
“The topic is ‘Cancer and our Environment’ and will explore how our natural environment may make us vulnerable to cancer, as well as the potential cancer risk caused by human impacts on our environment. This presentation will invite you to learn how our lifestyle choices can have impacts on our exposure and also how to navigate the misinformation on social media about cancer.
“Around 50% of cancers are thought to be driven by how one interacts with their environment. Understanding the risks and choices available to you has never been more complicated. There is most likely not a single family in Bermuda that hasn’t been touched by this many fronted disease.”
Amy Harvey, the Earth and Environmental Science lecturer at the Bermuda College explained, “Our bodies are complex ecosystems affected by both biotic [living] and abiotic [non-living] factors working together determining our ultimate success. Like all ecosystems we are connected to everything around us and the state of our health is influenced by the condition of our environment.
“If we pollute the air we breathe, the water that we drink and the soil that grows the food that we eat undoubtedly this affects the health of the planet as well as us humans too. We are after all intrinsically connected. Living in a small community you cannot escape being affected by cancer in some way whether directly or indirectly. Understanding the links between cancer and our environment may help us to make better decisions individually and as a community.
“We are very pleased to have Dr. Fosker, a clinical oncologist, deliver this important presentation for us. He is the medical director and radiation oncologist at Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, Director of Cancer services at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, an affiliate member of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and a consultant at Brigham and Women’s hospital in Boston.”
“As a clinical oncologist Dr. Fosker is qualified to treat cancer patients with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, molecular therapy and immunotherapy. He was the clinical lead in the project that brought radiation therapy to the country of Bermuda for the first time.
Dr. Fosker added, “The health of our body and mind isn’t the consequence of a single event, meal or moment but a result of how we spend our lives interacting with the environment around us. Some things are out of our control but 30-50% of all cancers are thought to be preventable. Your chance of developing cancer is impacted by the choices you make about how you live, what risks you choose to take, what risks you choose to try and control.
“However, the choices we make are increasingly influenced by our social environment and our perception of knowledge. By understanding how our environment impacts our bodies but equally reflecting on how we make our choices, we can help reduce the increasing burden of cancer that our community faces.”
“The public are welcomed to join our virtual presentation. The presentation is free and requires no sign-up. The presentation will be followed by a lively Q and A. The audience is encouraged to submit their questions via the chat options on both YouTube and Facebook. Access the presentation on either of these links: YouTube or FaceBook.
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Category: All, Environment
