We participated in the Great American Smokeout sponsored by the American Cancer Society on November 21 to raise awareness of the negative affects of smoking. To mark the occasion, BODIES…The Exhibition in Buena Park visited our San Pedro Boys & Girls Club middle school center for a presentation on how detrimental smoking can be to the human body. As a rare aspect of this type of presentation, a docent from BODIES was given permission to bring real human specimens from the exhibition to show the students first hand how smoking can damage organs and reduce life expectancy. The specimens had been prepared with polymer preservation, a process in which human tissue is permanently preserved using liquid silicone rubber. This allowed our students to get up close to the specimens and even touch them for a hands on educational experience about their health.
BODIES docent holding a transparent body slice of real human lungs to show the damage caused by smoking.
The BODIES docent presented specimens that have been damaged by smoking, including a real human brain of someone who smoked, transparent body slices showing damage to the lungs and kidneys and a set of smoker’s lungs. This inspired our students to share stories of family members or other people they knew who had become sick as a result of smoking. Our kids were given the opportunity to touch specimens that are normally only handled by doctors and medical students. Thanks to BODIES…The Exhibition our students are more aware of why they shouldn’t smoke! More information about BODIES…The Exhibition in Buena Park can be found at www.bodiestheexhibition.com/buenapark.
The BODIES specimens were prepared using polymer preservation allowing our students to learn through touch.