Celebrating 10 Years of PhotoVoice for Teens with Cancer at SickKids
Summary:
For 10 years, SickKids' PhotoVoice program has helped teens with cancer tell their stories through photography, reflection and connection. Meet two of this year's participants.
For a teen with cancer, finding the right words to describe what they're going through isn't always easy. That's why social workers with SickKids’ Haematology/Oncology program help patients tell their stories through a different lens: photography.
The Cancer Experience Through the Eyes of Teens is an annual PhotoVoice exhibition that shows the work created through a therapeutic support program at SickKids. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the program helps adolescents with cancer share their experiences through photography, storytelling and connection.
For seven weeks, teen participants use photography and accompanying narratives to better understand and communicate their experiences. Designed specifically for adolescents with cancer, the program creates a supportive, peer-focused environment where teens can connect with others who understand the unique challenges of navigating treatment during their teenage years.
SickKids social worker Wendy Shama has led the program since its inception.
"I have had the privilege of running the PhotoVoice group over the last ten years and am always so moved by the personal images, experiences and reflections that our teens share," says Wendy, who leads the program alongside fellow social worker Fiona Penny.
For the program’s 10th year, seven patients with varying cancer diagnoses met weekly, both in person and online, throughout March and April. Together, they selected themes including New Lens, Changes, Coping, Reflections on How I've Changed and Hope, using photographs to spark conversation and share their experiences with vulnerability, creativity and compassion.
Karina speaks at the PhotoVoice event to share the message behind her photography
Karina poses with her PhotoVoice exhibits
Karina’s photography for the weekly theme “A New Lens”
Karina’s photography for the weekly theme “Hope.”
For 15-year-old Karina, who is undergoing treatment for leukemia, joining the group was an easy decision.
"I knew it would be really nice to meet and speak with other teens who were going through the same thing that I am," she says.
While many participants use their phones to capture photos, Karina chose a DSLR camera, inspired by her mother, who is a photographer.
More than the photography itself, it was the connections she made with fellow participants that stood out.
"It was like a group therapy session, it was really nice," says Karina. "We could say whatever was on our mind about our treatment and our journey without any judgment and everyone understood because everyone's going through the same thing."
PhotoVoice participant Eseosa poses with her exhibits.
Eseosa shares the inspiration behind her photography during the PhotoVoice exhibit.
Eseosa’s photography for the weekly theme “Changes.”
For 16-year-old Eseosa, who is undergoing treatment for osteosarcoma, joining the group took a little more convincing.
"I was still new into my treatment, so I didn't feel like doing anything," says Eseosa.
With encouragement from her mother and members of her care team, she decided to participate and soon discovered the power of photography as a storytelling tool.
"Certain things, it's hard to explain, but with a photo you just take a picture," she says.
Now, Eseosa is the one encouraging other patients to join.
"Just do it," she says. "Because it's really good."
Week after week, Karina, Eseosa and the other participants shared images that offered glimpses into their lives both inside and outside of SickKids. Along the way, they built a sense of community, empathy and understanding.
The program culminates in a PhotoVoice exhibition during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month each September, where participants share their favourite photographs and the stories behind.
In the new year, the teens' photographs will be displayed on 8D, the Haematology/Oncology day care unit, allowing patients, families and staff to continue experiencing their remarkable perspectives and powerful stories.