(November
14, 2018, Commerce, Texas) – The Children’s Museum’s MEGALung
is traveling to schools throughout Hunt County. As the recipient of
a recent Tobacco Grant from Hunt Regional Healthcare, the Children’s
Museum is bringing their one-of-a-kind lung to classrooms. As part
of the instruction, students have the opportunity to sit inside the 8
foot tall MEGALung. Such lung diseases as cancer, emphysema,
pneumonia, COPD, asthma, and bronchitis can be seen on the giant
lung. Instruction in the classroom includes the students’ ability to
measure their oxygen level and blood pressure through using
oximeters.
Through
the lessons on maintaining healthy lungs, students learn that tobacco
use, either inhaling, through secondhand smoke, or other products, is
the top cause for not only lung, but also other types of cancers.
They learn that lung cancer has the highest occurrence of any cancer
in Hunt County. According to DataUSA, smoking is directly
responsible for approximately 90 percent of lung cancer deaths and
approximately 80 percent of deaths caused by chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
“We hope that the impact of walking through the giant lung combined with the information on maintaining a healthy lung will make a lasting impression on the students. We hope they will go home and share the information with their families,” said Sharline Freeman, Executive Director of the Children’s Museum. “The funds from the Tobacco Grant are being used to improve the health in Hunt County.”
The MEGALung has also been taken to Health Fairs and schools in Fannin and Lamar counties. For information on bring the giant lung to your school or event, call the Children’s Museum at 903-886-6055.
For additional information, contact:
Sharline Freeman, Executive Director
Northeast Texas Children’s Museum
NW Corner Culver and Highway 50
Commerce, Texas 75428
Telephone: (903) 886-6055 or (903) 456-4789
Email: [email protected]
