Research question: How can art best be used to further our understanding of how people perceive, respond and cope with their cancer experience?

  I, Margaret Felton, MSc, LSHTM, BA Hon University of Sussex and RGN and the Health Promotion Cancer Team Co-ordinator for East Sussex Brighton and Hove Health Authority at Health Promotion, Ivory Place, Morley Street, Brighton 2QE.

  I have been working in this post for more than five years. My work involves me in all aspects of the cancer experience from primary prevention through early detection treatment and care. Health Promotion is primarily about enabling and empowering people to take control of and improve their health. When applied to the subject of cancer this means engaging people and health professionals at all levels on the complex beliefs, feelings, behaviour and attitudes to cancer. Research is limited to how to achieve good understanding between patients and health professionals and how to give people affected by cancer the opportunity to express how they feel in relation to their cancer experience.

  My request is for the panel to allow me to present the case for research to be carried out in two areas of cancer. Firstly I would like to establish the effectiveness of using the arts and art in particular in gathering base line information on what people feel about their cancer, their treatment and their care. Secondly establish by using art to find out how people cope with episodes of cancer and terminal cancer in their day to day lives. If we are to achieve a patient care centred NHS we need to know how people perceive and respond to their cancer experience.

  I have been working with artists and cancer patients and have already compiled evidence to show how art, feelings and cancer can work together to enhance the quality of life for both patient and health professional. It is essential to put these hypotheses through the rigour of scientific enquiry.

4 June 2000