Healthivores Video Game Contest

By:

Hoang's Healthy Video Game Page

By: Hoang Tran

 

Story: Nowaday, cancer is very deadly and popular with several types. I have read a lot of news and articles about cancer; personally, some of my beloved family members have cancer as well. One day, I was talking to my health science teacher, and also my HOSA sponsor, Mrs. Rister about diseases, she told me a story about a little young girl who was diagnosed with Leukemia. Her mother has to stay home to take care of her which means that no income is available other than supportive sources. I was shocked when I heard it. That's why I chose to talk about Leukemia and a hope for her. In the game, you will be Dr. Na-O-No, who is from another planet and has been working on a project about nanotechnology. He heard the prays from Taylor, our little poor girl, and he decided to come help her. Throughout the game, he will be talking about Leukemia, about his nanotechnology and what he will do to help her.

Objective: The main objective for the game is to give out the knowledge about Leukemia and nanotechnology in form of the message boxes in the game and do not make people feel boring about the information. Dr. Na-O-No will be fighting with the "enemies" and fixing the damaged body cells. Defeating all the enemies and keeping the health is the only way to get pass the level. However, the message boxes contain helpful information, so do not miss any of them. Good luck, enjoy and hope you learn something from the game.

Targeted audience: This game and lesson is intended for an audience of all ages. From little kids to adults.

Team members: Hoang Tran

Health Lesson:

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is cancer of a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes which are important to the immune system to help protect body from infection. They are made in the bone marrow along with other blood cells. 

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia causes a slow increase in white blood cells called B lymphocytes, or B cells. Cancer cells can spread through the blood and bone marrow, and can also affect the lymph nodes or other organs such as the liver and spleen. It might eventually fail the bone marrow.

However, therer is no known causes for it. Plus, there is no link to radiation, cancer-causing chemicals, or viruses.

People who are around the age of 70 and who are Jewish people of Russian or East European descent are highly at risk. Most people under the age of 40 are rarely at risk.

This is a microscopic view of bone marrow from a person with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Symptoms may include:

• Abnormal bruising
• Enlarged lymph nodes, liver, or spleen
• Excessive sweating, night sweats
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Infections that keep coming back (recur)
• Loss of appetite or becoming full too quickly (early satiety)
• Unintentional weight loss

• Tests may include:

• Complete blood count (CBC) with white blood cell differential
• Bone marrow biopsy
• CT scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis

Treatment options:

Often, the doctor will closely monitor you, no medications will be given. In some cases, chemotherapy medicines might be used.

Nanotechnology in medicine

Nanotechnology in medicine is currently developing involves employing nanoparticles to deliver drugs, heat, light or chemotherapy medicines to cancer cells. Particles are engineered so that they are attractive to diseased cells, allows it to treat the cancer cells directly without damaging healthy cells.

Researchers have shown that a nanoscale bot might be able to generate a focused soundwave that is strong enough to destroy the tumor without affecting other healthy cells. It might have a special type of material that will be heat up with the infrared light, what that means is we will be able to attach the bot to the tumor and "fry" it.

With its nano size, nanobots will be programmed to repair the targeted damaged cells.

Nanobots would be able to deliver drugs directly to the cancer cells.