2006 News Releases

Charlottetown - Thanks to a partnership with Manulife Financial, Dalhousie Medical School is expanding its unique, award-winning health and science program, MegaSearch™, to every grade five classroom in Prince Edward Island. The PEI Department of Education is also providing support, distributing the curriculum supplement to the more than 2,000 students throughout the province.

Education Minister Mildred Dover said schools are very pleased to make this innovative new learning tool available to Island students. "The MegaSearch™ program comes highly recommended by teachers. We are pleased to partner with Dalhousie Medical School to introduce this new and fun way to pique student interest in the health sciences and to actively involve them in research," she said.

MegaSearch™ 2006-2007 highlights research in the areas of asthma, cancer, heart health, HIV/AIDS, mental health, and vaccines, all topics which align with curriculum goals outlined by the Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island departments of education.

“Manulife is pleased to provide funding to expand this successful health promotion program,” says Mr. Bruce Gordon, Senior Executive Vice President and General Manager, Canada, for Manulife Financial. “With MegaSearch™, Dalhousie Medical School has developed an engaging and informative approach to health education, which we believe will benefit children now and in the future.”

“We’re excited that we can now offer MegaSearch™ to even more students in the Maritimes with this expansion to PEI,” says Dr. Harold Cook, Dean of Dalhousie Medical School. “In addition to the health benefits for children, the program also hopes to spark interest in the possibilities of medical research at an early age. Perhaps some of these students will become our future scientists and physicians.”

MegaSearch™ uses a colorful comic book, numerous activities, and a website ( www.medicine.dal.ca/megasearch) to draw youngsters into the health sciences and help them understand the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Available in both English and French, the program has already been delivered to about 70,000 Nova Scotia grade five students as a curriculum supplement since 2000.

MegaSearch™ presents health and science in a fun, creative, and stimulating way and includes an annual competition that encourages students to do their own research on a disease or disorder. The class with the best report wins a trip to the Medical School, where they meet some MegaSearch™ researchers in person.

“The tour was really amazing and it inspires me to be a medical researcher,” said one student. “I find science so cool. And when I grow up, I am going to be a scientist because of all the interesting things I learned about in the labs,” said another.

Students are drawn by the program’s cartoon-based format, real life health research stories, and discovery-based science experiments. Teachers are impressed by the program’s quality, ease-of-use, and fit with their curriculum requirements. MegaSearch™ has received numerous accolades, and was featured in The Lancet , one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals.

Besides Manulife, MegaSearch™ is sponsored by the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation and Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation.

About Dalhousie Medical School
Dalhousie Medical School is home to some of Canada's top scientists, clinicians and students, making it a centre of excellence that contributes much to the world's medical knowledge base. Through a collaborative environment, we provide students with hands-on experience; as they learn, they work alongside internationally renowned doctors and researchers. Our 1,700 faculty members work and teach at 111 training sites throughout the Maritimes, including two teaching hospitals in Prince Edward Island. Efforts in education, research, and patient care are truly integrated, resulting in steady progress toward the goal of better health care for our Maritime community. www.medicine.dal.ca.

About Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents, and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$370 billion (US$332 billion) as at June 30, 2006. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘0945’ on the SEHK. www.manulife.com

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For further information, please contact:

Allison Gerrard, Dalhousie Medical School, 902.494.1789, allison.gerrard@dal.ca
Tom Nunn, Manulife Financial, 519.594.8578, tom_nunn@manulife.com