During her residency with the Teenage & Young Adult (TYA) Unit at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Karen Edwards introduced letterpress printing, block and mono printing techniques to participants and taught them how to combine these processes and apply them to creating posters, wearable art and greetings cards.
Karen’s residency covered 12 x weeks, working with the young adults attending the TYA ward. Some of the sessions brought together patients who had never met and this created some lovely peer conversations, laughter and shared experience about their treatment, and words of encouragement. Participants went away with items they could use, send or gift to a friend or relative.
Due to some patients being unable to attend the sessions due to isolation, it was discussed with the Arts Co-coordinator to create ‘kits’ that could be distributed for patients to try in their rooms.
As the residency neared the festive period, a Christmas card ‘competition’ was held, with designs submitted to be scanned and made into printing blocks. This was very popular and gained a lot of interest from staff and visitors; many cards were produced and distributed.
“Its always exciting and rewarding for me to share my process, especially letterpress as it is such a tactile activity and participants are always surprised how the history of this technique has had an effect on their own social history and the spread of knowledge and information through the centuries.
… I’ve witnessed how creative activities can make a difference to a young person’s stay in hospital especially the very young but it benefits anyone of any age receiving treatment. If they are able – someone/something new and different can be a welcome distraction from their discomfort, however short. And this can only be a complimentary and positive addition to their continuing treatment and hopeful recovery.”
– Karen Edwards