Dr. Maureen Allen and Debbie Cotton have a goal: invite every grade 10 student to P.A.R.T.Y. – that's Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth.

This interactive DVD takes kids on a real-life ride of what it's like to be a patient going from a car crash, through emergency and intensive care, and into rehabilitation. Students see firsthand the impact of an injury and hear testimonials from injury survivors and people affected by injury.

It's realistic and explicit and is designed to get kids talking about how they can avoid taking this ride in real life.

The original P.A.R.T.Y. program was designed in 1986 at Toronto's Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Science Centre. Nova Scotia will be the first province in the country to see this new, interactive version of P.A.R.T.Y., which as been redesigned by the faculty and students from Dalhousie University School of Health and Human Performance and produced by CBC TV's Street Cents. The project has been championed all the way by Dr. Maureen Allen and Debbie Cotton, an Acute Care Education Coordinator.

Both Dr. Allen and Ms. Cotton believe that as healthcare workers, they must take their roles out of the institution and into the community where they can make a real difference to people. Infrastructure and legislation will not be sufficient long term, they say. Prevention is the key to making health care better.

“You have to pick your fights,” says Dr. Allen. “Injury prevention is ours.”

Their short-term goal is to get every grade 10 student in Guysborough County to experience the program. But “prevention starts early,” according to Dr. Allen and Ms. Cotton, so they want to get the P.A.R.T.Y. happening in elementary schools before long.

If you'd like to get the P.A.R.T.Y. at your school – go to WEBSITE ADDRESS.

Nova Scotia Health Promotion is proud to salute Dr. Allen and Debbie Cotton for bringing the P.A.R.T.Y. to Nova Scotia. It's a huge undertaking for two very busy women – but one that will make our province a much healthier place to live.

Injury Prevention is one of six key strategic areas Nova Scotia Health Promotion has identified and is addressing to make Nova Scotia healthier. Find out more about our work:

Addiction Prevention
Healthy Eating
Healthy Sexuality
Injury Prevention
Physical Activity, Sport & Recreation
Tobacco Control