The Aquis Gold Coast Titans is proud to announce a special partnership with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH), Deadly Choices and Kalwun Development Corporation to promote the Deadly Choices program.
The relationship will see the Titans enhance the delivery of, and profile of, the important Deadly Choices program in the quickly expanding Indigenous community on the Gold Coast.
Deadly Choices appears on the lower back of the Titans’ under-20s National Youth Competition players’ jerseys and, under a new development, all Indigenous youth who undertake health assessments under the Deadly Choices program will receive a Titans shirt designed especially for the program.
The Titans have the widest representation of Indigenous players of all 16 NRL clubs and we have long supported Indigenous community programs. This is an extension of that on-going association.
The Titans, Deadly Choices and Kalwun will strengthen the delivery of Deadly Choices and clinical services across the state, representing an ongoing commitment to closing the gap on Indigenous life expectancy.
As part of the partnership, 2016 program graduates in the Gold Coast and Tweed regions will receive a Gold Coast Titans themed Deadly Choices shirt.
The Deadly Choices shirts are tailored each year to focus on important events and activities like breast cancer awareness, or partnerships with groups like the Titans.
Deadly Choices shirts can also be accessed by getting a health check at a local participating Aboriginal medical service – like the three Kalwun clinics on the Gold Coast.
Developed by the IUIH, Deadly Choices is a social marketing strategy raising awareness of the risk factors of chronic disease with a focus on reducing smoking rates, improving diet and increasing physical activity.
Institute for Urban Indigenous Health CEO Adrian Carson said the partnership demonstrates the commitment of the Gold Coast Titans to Closing the Gap in Indigenous health.
“Healthy, active role models, like Indigenous Titans players Ryan James and Tyrone Roberts set great examples for our younger generation.
“Thanks to this partnership, some of the children in our community will be able to see players living their Deadly Choices and visiting their schools to present graduation certificates and shirts.
“We want even more Indigenous people from South East Queensland and across wider Queensland to reap the benefits of this partnership by regularly visiting their local Aboriginal medical services.”
CEO of Kalwun Development Corporation, Kieran Chilcott, said: “The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of the Gold Coast is growing significantly.
“Over the past 10 years our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has grown almost 40 percent, from approximately 6500 to approximately 9000 people. By 2031 we are expecting that it will double, to 18,000 people.
“This partnership further strengthens our commitment to improving the life expectancy of our community and by providing a further incentive to engage with local health services to get regular health checks and make deadly choices such as not smoking, eating right and staying active.”
Between July 2015 and March 2016 Kalwun’s three Gold Coast clinics – at Miami, Oxenford and Biling – provided more than 1500 health checks. In the past year Kalwun has also increased the number of people attending their clinics by more than 1000.
On the Gold Coast, 264 school students in 19 schools attended a Deadly Choices education or tobacco programs in 2015. This year programs have already been delivered to 59 participants across four schools – with 11 schools on the Gold Coast locked in to deliver in term two, and many more planned for terms three and four.
"We are excited to join with Deadly Choices to further expand this program in the Gold Coast and Tweed regions with the benefits it provides across South-East Queensland,” said Aquis Titans CEO Graham Annesley.
“Sport is one of the most effective tools in helping to address social issues across the entire community and the results already achieved by the Deadly Choices program are amazing. The Titans are proud to be associated with such an effective indigenous health initiative.".
Local artist Christine Slabb (pictured above with Ryan James and Tyrone Roberts, holding the Titans Indigenous jersey) is working with Kalwun and Titans apparel partner BLK to designed a special event jersey for the NRL Telstra Premiership Indigenous Round (round 10) when the Titans go up against the Sydney City Roosters on May 16.
