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Film project provides boost for young cancer sufferers
DVD helps patients get through treatment ordeal Robert Sutcliffe TEENAGE cancer sufferers in Leeds are helping others cope with the disease.
Young people aged 13-25 at the Teenage Cancer Trust Unit at St James's University Hospital have produced a DVD entitled The Teenager's Survival Guide to Cancer Treatment under the guidance of established film-maker Mark Wilkinson and a small team.
All young people attached to the ward, including out patients, were briefed about the project and then invited to contribute, either by making a film or documentary, by animation or blogs – a written diary for the internet.
Patients were encouraged to produce pieces of work that reflected their experiences, and in some cases wrote and recorded from their hospital beds as they underwent treatment.
Project organisers say their involvement in the scheme has ensure the teenagers had something to do over the many, sometimes tedious, hours they spend on the ward, as well as allowing them to develop skills in film-making, and animation. They are hoping to extend the scheme to other hospitals around the country.
Interest in the project has been intense with 20 individual pieces of work completed, varying from very moving and personal documentary-style video diaries, to a series of animations.
And emotionally it has given some of them a chance to share their thoughts and worries in a safe way for other young people about to embark on a similar journey.
The unit sees around 80 teenagers a year and nationally up to around 500 young people are diagnosed with the disease.
Mr Wilkinson's recent film on BBC 1, To Courtney with Love, touched many hearts with its poignant portrayal of teenager Becky Williamson who was pregnant at 13, diagnosed with cancer at 14, and dead at 16.
The 44-year-old father-of-three from Langsett, near Sheffield, has been heavily involved with the unit at St James's for several years.
He said: ''Any newly diagnosed teenager at Jimmy's will get a copy of this hour-long DVD which will be a great help to them, I think.
"As well as detailing their experiences dealing with cancer there is also a light-hearted touch courtesy of Donovan Webster who has produced an almost Pythonesque series of animations.
''As well as the DVD there's a website which records their experiences – www.
jimmyteenstv.com
"All the contributions are equally moving. Some young people just tell their stories - how they got cancer and how it developed and people can follow them as they go through their treatment.
''This has not been done before, it is a pioneering, very successful event and ultimately we hope to roll it out to Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Birmingham.''
The other people who worked on the project which was funded by the Candlelighters charity were David Faulkner, a trainee media teacher at Huddersfield University, Cat Austin, an activity co-ordinator at St James's and Sue Morgan, head Macmillan cancer nurse specialist.
Tom De Bruin had recently completed his treatment for Hodgkin's Disease and is now running the website.
The project will be launched in front of about 200 guests at the Royal Armouries on Thursday at 7.30 pm, which will include a champagne reception and celebrities.
robert.sutcliffe@ypn.co.u k
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