Repairing Emotional and Sexual Damage caused by Cancer- International Symposium UCA-University for the Creative Arts

What Do I Need To Do To Make It OK?
Professor Lesley Millar

Repairing Emotional and Sexual Damage caused by Cancer
Colette Dobson – on behalf of ComMA (Communication Medicine and Arts) four textile practitioners and a leading psychotherapist
Abstract
ComMA uses Textile Practise to challenge the communication skills of health professionals, to support them in caring and repairing patient’s emotional and sexual damage caused by cancer and its treatments. Evidence shows patients with sexual cancers have considerable difficulties with sexuality, body image and sexual expression that are not looked after in their care. The Christie Hospital also found 46% of their nurses felt embarrassed and deskilled when working with patients, leading to poor assessment and treatment.
Methodology: In response ComMA work as a design activist, creating visual works that are formed from issues raised by patient groups, around these difficult emotional issues, and their inability to discuss this with their health professionals. ComMA presents the work at International Conferences on Sexuality and Cancer – the recent being Prostate Cancer- where critical interaction talks place with the Textile Artists and health professionals. Experiential workshops at the event, challenge the possibility of different ways of communicating and understanding the patients needs, to listen, to engage and help heal and repair.
Evidence : Health professionals feedback after being confronted with textile pieces made in relation to their clinical practice, which at first they did not understand, but through discussion and debate, recognise they could find different ways of communicating and helping patients repair their emotional and sexual health.
The research has been funded by The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Prostate Cancer UK. The Royal Marsden NHS Trust. The International Society for Sexuality and Cancer. Cheshire Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation