Prevent Alcohol and Risk Related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y.) Program was initiated at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre on January 1986 with the help of an R.N. emergency nurse.

 

As a mother of four daughters living in Port Perry where a number of teens had been killed or seriously injured in motor vehicle collisions our nurse was approached by her daughters friends to come to Sunnybrook to see where people are brought when injured.

 

Sunnybrook's hospital administration was approached and in turn encouraged her to research and develop a pilot program.  She soon discovered there was no program like what she wanted to create.  There were mock motor vehicle collision recreations, but they did not include the educational approach to injury and trauma so needed.  Through discussion with Sunnybrook's administration and trauma team everyone quickly understood the benefits of a program to educate youth about the impact and effect of trauma and supported the idea.  A committee was struck to brainstorm and investigate support and committment for the idea from government, students, schools, boards of education, ambulance, police, fire, hospital staff, and a local rehabilitation hospital.

 

The committee looked for volunteers from specific areas in the hospital who would be eager to be involved.  Hospital staff were keen on involvement and were found from areas including the trauma room, critical care, rehabilitation and other wards.  P.A.R.T.Y. was molded and developed primarily by members of Sunnybrook's trauma team.

 

The written program began at the onset and has grown to include current alcohol and risk-related behaviour involving today's youth.

 

Since P.A.R.T.Y.'s first program with the classmates of our nurses daughter 25 years ago, we have grown immensely.  The P.A.R.T.Y. message has: