Living Beyond Cancer

Insights and Challenges

Through our research, we identified key insights that shaped our approach.

Insight 1

Cancer survivors face a profound loss of agency, which is central to their challenges.

Insight 2

The need for enabling services rather than temporary support from charities.

Insight 3

While art in hospitals can reduce anxiety and create positive environments, there is no established metric to measure its impact.

Insight 4

Acts of care and giving back play a therapeutic role for survivors, helping them find purpose and alleviating survivor's guilt.

Solution

Our solution empowers cancer survivors by providing them with opportunities to create and display their own artwork in hospitals. This not only allows survivors to share their stories but also offers patients on their cancer journey relatable and authentic experiences. The art created by survivors serves as a bridge, fostering trust and deep connections between patients and survivors. By challenging traditional notions of who can be an artist, we aim to empower survivors in a new, meaningful way. Additionally, we introduce methods to track and measure the impact of these interactions, providing charities with valuable metrics to demonstrate the effectiveness of their initiatives.

Ethics and Design Methods

Ethical Considerations

Recognizing the vulnerability of cancer survivors, we crafted a team manifesto to guide our interactions, ensuring that all engagement was ethical and non-distressing. This manifesto served as a constant reminder to prioritize the well-being of participants throughout our research process.

Art-Based Methodologies

We adopted art-based research methodologies designed to be non-extractive and empowering for participants. These methods allowed survivors to express themselves freely, providing a safe space to share their experiences without the pressure of achieving perfection.

Research Approach

Our research was divided into secondary and primary phases. Initially, we conducted secondary research through academic literature, podcasts, and social media. This was followed by primary research, where we engaged directly with survivors through an art-based collage workshop. This method was chosen for its reflective nature, mirroring the complex and layered experience of survivorship.