Health Drama Productions Transforming health through drama

Despite the snow and cold weather everyone arrived on time. Although the heating was not working that day we had a very productive session.

Everyone had heard about last years Diabetes play and the community development approach and becoming champions. We explained the process is more than the shows, it includes CAMS and the bilingual Participatory Workshops preceding the community performances.

They also came prepared with their personal cancer stories.

The five stories shared by the team illustrated how individuals deal with a serious illness like cancer in both positive and negative ways. There were stories of courage from an uncle in Limerick, Ireland. Who, despite being in hospital and only a shadow of his former self kept his dignity. When his brother came to visit he attempted to take him to the pub for a drink as he had always done. Sadly this was not possible.

Another relative in the East Midlands who died earlier this year had complied with medical staff once he was diagnosed with bowel caner. A positive attitude and a change of lifestyle meant he lived another 13 years with his family.

One story from India left a lingering image in our minds of a fifty-year-old father-of-two who spoke of his regret about smoking. He died of throat cancer. His young family and wife are living in Leicester now.

Another story of courage is of a Derby woman from Pakistan who survived breast cancer and the trauma of a mastectomy. She is an example of how treatment and personal responsibility can empower patients.

Everyone in our team from the youngest to the oldest had personal experiences of losing someone through cancer.

The session concluded with a feeling of focus to create a show to reach the South Asian Community and make a positive difference.