Sponsoring Monty Mergler in the Surfing Australia Junior Series

Although fatal bites are rare, bites and stings from land and sea creatures are common in Australia. Here's some first aid tips for common bites and stings in SE Qld: Snake Bite Snakes become more active as soon as the temperature reaches 23 degrees. Moreton Bay is home to several species of snakes, of which the dangerous ones are Eastern Browns, Red-bellied Blacks, Death Adder, the Coastal Taipan and Tiger snakes. You may see Carpet Pythons and Tree snakes which do not usually pose a problem for humans. First Aid 1. Keep the patient still and call for help asap. 2. Do not wash the wound, and don't try to suck out the venom. 3. Immediately bandage the bite site very firmly, as you would for a sprain. Bandage at least 15cm above the bite; the length of the limb if possible. 4. Place the limb which has been bitten in a splint: use a firm stick or slab of wood. 5. Get the patient to the nearest doctor or major hospital without delay. If possible and with care, take a photo of the snake. Mark on the bandage where the bite marks are if you have noticed them. Tick Bite Ticks may lodge anywhere in the body. Ticks are parasites that feed on human and animal blood. A tick bite is usually harmless, but sometimes it can cause an allergic reaction or serious illness. If you have a tick bite, it is very important to remove the tick as soon as possible. First Aid 1. Do not attempt to pull the tick out by grasping the body. 2. Take the patient to someone who is an expert at removing them (the doctors at SIMC). 3. If this is not possible, loop a strong thread around the ticks head close to the skin and pull it sharply sideways or grasp it behind the head with fine tweezers and gently pull it out with steady pressure. Blue-Ringed Octopus Stings These are often found in rock pools on Straddie. First Aid 1. Seek medical attention immediately. Resuscitation may be needed as their venom contains a powerful neurotoxin. Blue-Bottle and other Jellyfish Stings Blue-bottles are common on Straddie. Their sting can be painful for 2 or more hours. We don't see Box Jellyfish in our waters here. First Aid 1. Wash the sting site with sea water. 2. Remove any tentacles with a gloved hand. 3. Immerse the affected site in tolerable hot water (best is 45 degrees for 20 mins. 4. Give paracetamol ASAP. Stonefish / Sea Urchins/Stingrays First Aid Stonefish have a potentially fatal venom 1. Immerse the affected area in hot water to relieve pain and call 000. DO NOT apply a pressure immobilisation bandage. Leave any barbs or spines in place and place padding around them. Sea Urchins have sharp spines, :Wash the wound site and immerse in hot water about 45ºC for a maximum duration of 90 minutes . Remove spines close to the surface (some may break off and be embedded). Review regularly until resolved Wound may require further spine removal and further radiographic imaging or ultrasound. Sting Rays have a barb in their tail. If stung by the barb, immerse the affected area in hot water (up to 45 degrees) and seek medical help. Spider Bites Redbacks are the most dangerous in Queensland: apply an ice pack; do not bandage and seek medical help.  Sand Flies (midges) : small biting insects cause very itchy bites: prevention is best with insecticide, hats and clothing. Daily thiamine 100mg may help. For itchy bites, apply an anti-itch cream and an oral antihistamine may be taken. Other Bites and Stings: ants, wasps, centipedes First Aid 1. Wash the site with large quantities of cool water. 2. Apply Stingose to the wound for about 30 sec. 3. Apply ice for several minutes. 4. Seek medical help/ anti-itch cream if symptoms not settling.

The #2 cancer killer is bowel cancer (colorectal cancer). It is 90% curable with early detection. The colon and rectum are parts of the large intestine where the last part of our food digestion occurs. The colon receives the almost completely digested food from the small intestine and absorbs water and nutrients from it before is passes to the rectum to be eliminated from the body as "poo" or "faeces". Who gets bowel cancer? Men and women, young and old. Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. 1 in 13 of us will develop it in our lifetime. Around 30% people have a family history of bowel cancer. The risk of contracting bowel cancer increases sharply once we hit the age of 50, and this is why free bowel testing kits are sent out when you are 50, and from various years after that (look up the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme to see when your next free kit comes out). Your GP will also start recommending bowel testing every 1-2 years from the age of 50, and colonoscopies (small, flexible telescope into the bowel to look for any problems) from the age of 50, or earlier if you have a family history of bowel cancer. How do we help keep our bowel healthy and free from cancer? * By not smoking. * By not eating too much red meat (more than 2 serves of lean red meat per week), especially when charred on the BBQ. * By limiting intake of processed, smoked, cured meats * By eating lots of fibre aka fruit and veggies, nuts and legumes. Fibre rich food in a healthy diet is what our bowel loves. The "western diet", with traditionally low fibre (white rice, white pasta, white bread, and refined, processed foods), is what contributes to bowel cancer. * By limiting our consumption of alcohol. * Keeping our weight down to a healthy weight range (BMI 20-25). Due to new information we have on hereditary bowel cancers, some individuals are recommended to take aspirin each day to lower their risk. This needs to be talked about with your doctor, as there are risks with taking aspirin (an increased risk of bleeding), and it is not for everyone. What are the symptoms of bowel cancer? As a cancerous tumour grows, it can narrow or block the bowel, causing a change in bowel habit: constipation, diarrhoea, abdominal pain or bloating. Maybe even fatigue, weight loss, nausea or vomiting. It may cause blood to appear in the bowel motions. If you notice bleeding when you empty your bowels, tell your doctor and don't dismiss it as bleeding from haemorrhoids. Bowel Screening: Bowel Testing kits ( faecal occult blood tests), and colonoscopies. As mentioned above, everyone should start bowel screening every 1-2 years from the age of 50, as early detection of a bowel cancer is likely to be lifesaving. Some bowel cancers run in families who have small non cancerous growths called polyps in their bowel. Some of these polyps are precancerous and can change over time into cancer. Speak to your GP about your risk of bowel cancer, and whether you need to be referred for a colonoscopy to check for polyps. Usually as a guide, if you have a first degree relative who contracted bowel cancer, you should start having colonoscopies 10years before the age of their first diagnosis. Bowel test kits look for microscopic (occult/hidden) blood in two or three bowel motions collected on consecutive days. Tell you doctor if you have any of the below symptoms for more than two weeks: * blood in the poo or rectal bleeding * a recent, persistent change on bowel habit * a change in the shape to appearance of your poo (narrower poos, or mucus in poo) * abdominal pain or swelling * pain or a lump in the anus or rectum * unexplained weight loss, or anaemia causing tiredness and weakness.