On Tuesday 14th March, the Institute of Cancer Research ran an interactive session at Nonsuch High School for Girls to educate the students about multiple issues surrounding cancer. The volunteers not only talked about the different methods of diagnosing cancers, but they shared some of the detailed scientific knowledge which allows them to help treat patients.
There were six interactive sessions, each explaining a crucial aspect of diagnosing and treating cancer patients. The stations all gave the students the opportunity to get directly involved by carrying out tasks which are similar in nature to what is actually done in laboratories. For example, the students were able to extract the DNA from a strawberry in the same way that scientists extract DNA from suspected cancerous cells. It rapidly became clear that such complex processes are only possible due the hard work of many dedicated and highly intelligent team members. From programming cell recognition electronically, to actually preforming surgery, there are many different roles involved. The volunteers all had a different role in research and helped to demonstrate to students that there is huge diversity in regards to the jobs possible within research.
One year 12 student who wishes to pursue a career in scientific research said “Often people make research seem boring or isolating but this event showed me that it is actually exciting, fast-paced and is still quite a social job.”
The passion that the volunteers felt for their jobs was contagious; the room was soon filled with intelligent questions and discussions. The session left all the pupils feeling inspired and motivated. Many of the students left the session keen to study and the follow a career path in pathology, biology or computer science so that they too can contribute to the life changing research which is currently taking place.
-Kauther Al-Kaaby, Nonsuch High School for Girls
