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10 Friday, February 23, 2024 brooklintowncrier.com My daughter and I are at the mall buying her shorts for gym class which she has every day this semester. We pass a popular beauty supply store and she asks to go in. She doesn't need anything, I say. She argues that she has a gift card to spend. So in we go. I am not a big fan of the store. The makeup and skincare products are pricey, the selection is overwhelming and all the different scents make my head pound. I follow her as she sniffs samples of body sprays. The store is busy with lots of girls doing the same thing. Many are lined up at the cash with baskets of lotions, body sprays and makeup. I wonder if I'm missing something by buying my own skincare at the drugstore. I pick up a bottle of anti-aging liquid. "Made with all natural ingredients," says the label. Except the list of ingredients includes several which are synthetic. Besides, at $65 a bottle, it's a bit steep for my taste. My daughter shows me a facial wash. She's concerned about the typical teen skin issue - acne. Hers is mild and that wash contains glycolic acid which would dry out her skin. We settle on a gentler one that's more natural and suited for young skin. We leave the store $25 poorer. But the tween who cashed out before us spent $85 on products that her skin clearly didn't need. I share my thoughts with my daughter and she tells me about TikTok videos where young people are promoting skincare routines using expensive products from the store we just visited. The trend has many experts upset, she explains, because kids are using products for adult skin that contain harsh products which cause allergic reactions and damage their skin. That afternoon, I do a little digging on TikTok where middle-school girls show off their Sephora shopping hauls with products for adult skin. One girl shared her 12-step skin care routine using 12 different products. Seriously? Who has time for that? Certainly an 11 year old doesn't need it all. After watching the videos and reading articles, I realize that, just like the hoodie with the right brand on it, having expensive skincare products is more about status than actual skincare. So is there an upside to the trend? There may be. It turns out that when young people take care of themselves, it boosts self-esteem. Experimenting with makeup is fun and creative and a low-risk way to try on a different identity. Plus, many of the skincare products contain sunscreen which is often forgotten when the summer months come around. What do kids really need? Though best discussed with a dermatologist, probably a basic cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen and acne spot treatment will do it. Later that night, my daughter and I try a simple mud facial mask that came as a bonus with the purchase. Did it improve our skin? That's debatable. But the silly selfie photos we took and time spent together definitely improved our relationship. Brooklin Family Matters: by Leanne Brown Do Teens Need Skincare Products? The Province of Ontario first recommended a new acute care hospital for Durham Region in 2015, recognizing the significant, rapid, and continued growth expected in the area. The Current Status of the New Hospital for Durham • Two years ago, in January 2022 - following a transparent, two-stage site selection process - Lakeridge Health announced lands in Whitby as the preferred site for a proposed new hospital for Durham Region. • Since then, there has been zero action from the Ontario government on the $3 million Planning Grant and land commitment required to move this project forward. • The Town of Whitby is advocating for provincial support in the process to bring a new hospital to this site in Whitby to provide critical health care closer to home for all Durham residents. The Site • The preferred site selected by Lakeridge Health for the new hospital is located south of Highway 407, west of Highway 412, east of Lake Ridge Road and north of Highway 7/ Winchester Road located in Whitby. • The land is currently owned by the Ministry of Transportation. • The Whitby site was chosen because it is centrally located in the heart of Durham, less than 1 kilometre from three 400-series on ramps and three 400-series off ramps - critically important for what will be the only trauma centre between Toronto and Kingston. The Site Selection Process • Lakeridge Health began their site selection process for the new hospital in 2021. • This process was overseen by a fairness advisor and involved an independent, non-partisan expert panel with no connections to the region to ensure objectivity. • Lakeridge Health submitted a $3M Planning Grant request to the Ministry of Health in Spring 2022 - this grant is a critical next step to move the project forward. Two provincial budgets have now been tabled without funding for this grant. • The Ministry of Transportation and the Town of Whitby have been working on the land disposition process since 2021. The allocation of this land aligns with the Ministry mandate letters. Why It Matters • The current Lakeridge Health hospital system can't keep up with current demand and this will only increase as the community grows. • Durham is one of the fastest growing region in Canada, with a population expected to be over one million people in less than 20 years. Almost one third of the population is expected to be seniors aged 65 and older who will require more, and increasingly complex, care. • By 2041, Lakeridge Health will need 1,793 beds. That's more than double the current count. • The Province of Ontario requires every municipality to build a minimum number of homes to support population growth. The Town of Whitby has committed to partnering with the Province to support the construction of 18,000 new homes in Whitby by 2031. More healthcare infrastructure is needed to support this growth. • There is a gap in critical care in areas of high growth. The map below shows the location of the Whitby site depicted with the green dot. The red crosses depict the location of existing acute care hospitals in and near Durham. The red circles represent a 15-minute travel time to each hospital. The light orange shaded areas show approved areas of growth within the Durham Official Plan. Advocating to Bring Care Closer to Home Through a New Hospital in Durham DREAM / CREATE / ENJOY Online and in Person Registration Begins: Wednesday March 6, 2023 - 9:00 a.m. (Residents Only) Thursday March 7, 2023 - 9:00 a.m. (Aquafit for Residents) Wednesday March 13, 2023 - 9:00 a.m. (Non Residents) View available programs and create your wish list in ACTIVE Net today! • Children's and Preschool Programs • Youth Programs • Aquatic Leadership Programs • Aquafit and Adult Swim Programs • Swim Lessons • Private Swimming Lessons • Semi Private Swimming Lessons • Adult Programs • 55+ Programs • Station Gallery Programs Prefer to browse offline? Download the Spring Recreation Program Guide For more information on how to register online and locations for in person registration please visit Whitby.ca/GetActive Whitby Spring Recreation Programs