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Dawn Leslie
Healthy-Wellthy-Wise Children�s Books, Canada
Keynote: J Blood Disord Treat
A wise woman once said that lifestyle-related illness is the scourge of the twenty-first century; for which the only vaccine is education. Well, that ‘wise’ woman was me and as I see it, the most effective way to make a difference in health outcomes is to provide our children with options, empower them to make healthy choices and then reinforce their positive behaviours. It is simply appalling that largely preventable ‘adult’ diseases such as type II Diabetes are now being diagnosed in children, often the result of too many calories and too few calisthenics. The long-term ramifications of this disease alone can be horrendous for the child and enormously impactful to the healthcare system. It’s little wonder that health ministry’s world-wide cite type II Diabetes as one of the most parasitic consumers of its resources. Encouraging a healthy lifestyle that includes physical movement, nutritious food choices and the development of sound safety judgement must begin during a child’s formative years. If we wish to curb the incidence of disease in a meaningful way, we must educate our young by providing age-appropriate theory; initiated by parents, reinforced by teachers and supported by the powers that be. Young minds have a remarkable capacity to absorb very complicated concepts provided they are presented in a relatable, simple format, and a solid understanding of their bodies should be the underpinning of any educational program. If along with their lunchboxes, we sent our kids off to school each morning with a tool-box full of basic health and wellness skills, it would help drive the positive decisions that only awareness can bring.
Dawn Leslie is the author of more than thirty health and wellness books for children; with over 150,000 copies on the shelves of every elementary classroom in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan and distribution in 22 countries world-wide. Since moving to the Middle East nine years ago, she has been deeply committed to sharing her wellness message with children throughout this region and actively advocates for a preventive health curriculum to be taught in school. She believes that children can be wonderful stewards of their own health if given information in an engaging, age-appropriate format. Knowledge is empowering and an awareness of what to expect greatly increases a child’s confidence and reduces anxiety. Currently available in English and Arabic; her books are both informative and beautifully illustrated.
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