‘Hello my name is…not cancer’ expressive arts showcase

Ensuring young patients have an outlet for their feelings, fears and emotions is vital and this summer we were delighted to support a fantastic creative event called ‘Hello my name is…not cancer’ at the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast, which saw young patients come together to share their own personal stories through songs, monologues, dance and group drama.

The idea for this unique event came from a young patient, Caoimhe Wills and was organised by the Belfast City Hospital, Teenager and Young Adult Cancer Service, which is a dedicated service for young people aged 14 to 24 years consisting of Friends of the Cancer Centre’s Clinical Nurse Specialist for Teenagers and Young Adults, Renée Reid, and CLIC Sargent Social Workers Simon Darby and Laurena Kane.

The night featured original performances by Oksana Carjova, Rebecca Haughey, Alana McCrea (Bateson), Lauren Monaghan, Lesley-Ann Dempsey and Caoimhe Wills, with each person offering a deeply moving and emotional insight into their own personal cancer experience to a packed audience of family and friends.

The event was very kindly supported by Friends of the Cancer Centre, CLIC Sargent, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and Arts Care, as well as many volunteers who gave up their time and talents to work with the patients. Take a look at some of the fantastic pictures, taken by the very talented Dr McAleer, on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/FriendsoftheCancerCentre/