Mundipharma Ireland & The Strawberry Hill Creative for ‘Cancer Tales’
The Business Challenge
Pain associated with cancer is a fear experienced by cancer patients, but unfortunately often not fully discussed. As a result, patients do not receive information and reassurance that there are many treatment options available to tackle the problem. This highlighted the need for improved communication between healthcare professionals and patients in understanding patient pain and its treatment and control.
The Solution
Cancer Tales is a collection of stories which tell the stories of five different women with cancer who explain how they deal with their condition and interact with families and carers during their journeys. Its potential for adaptation to a theatre-based experience targeting healthcare professionals led to Mundiphrama Ireland bringing the production Ireland in 2009. Cancer Tales toured Dublin, Cork and Galway, where performances were made freely available to healthcare professionals. Each performance was supported by discussions with palliative care specialists and members of the Mundipharma Ireland management team.
Benefits to Company
The Cancer Tales Tour provided Mundipharma with an opportunity to positively engage with their customers while generating significant media interest. In recognising the need for imaginative and effective education tools for cancer care, it also received engagement from stakeholder organisations including The Irish Cancer Society & Irish Pain Society.
Benefits to Stakeholders
Cancer Tales made education freely available for healthcare professionals and is an innovative way to encourage greater empathy for the experiences of cancer patients. The initiative combined with Cancer Tales: Communicating in Cancer Care (a workbook that accompanies performances), underscores Mundipharma’s commitment to educational support for healthcare professionals.
Pain associated with cancer is a fear experienced by cancer patients, but unfortunately often not fully discussed. As a result, patients do not receive information and reassurance that there are many treatment options available to tackle the problem. This highlighted the need for improved communication between healthcare professionals and patients in understanding patient pain and its treatment and control.
The Solution
Cancer Tales is a collection of stories which tell the stories of five different women with cancer who explain how they deal with their condition and interact with families and carers during their journeys. Its potential for adaptation to a theatre-based experience targeting healthcare professionals led to Mundiphrama Ireland bringing the production Ireland in 2009. Cancer Tales toured Dublin, Cork and Galway, where performances were made freely available to healthcare professionals. Each performance was supported by discussions with palliative care specialists and members of the Mundipharma Ireland management team.
Benefits to Company
The Cancer Tales Tour provided Mundipharma with an opportunity to positively engage with their customers while generating significant media interest. In recognising the need for imaginative and effective education tools for cancer care, it also received engagement from stakeholder organisations including The Irish Cancer Society & Irish Pain Society.
Benefits to Stakeholders
Cancer Tales made education freely available for healthcare professionals and is an innovative way to encourage greater empathy for the experiences of cancer patients. The initiative combined with Cancer Tales: Communicating in Cancer Care (a workbook that accompanies performances), underscores Mundipharma’s commitment to educational support for healthcare professionals.
Robert Hickson & Laura Fitzpatrick performing a scene from ‘Cancer Tales’