University of Dundee and NHS Tayside team up to create comic series explaining health conditions

A SERIES of comics explaining common but poorly understood health conditions is being launched.

Writers, comic artists and health professionals from the University of Dundee and NHS Tayside took part in the project to provide better insight into a range of illnesses.

The first edition, called Fibromyalgia and Us, will be published on Friday and explores the effects of the long-term condition in an attempt to better explain it to the public.

Professor Divya Jindal-Snape said: “This comic has been designed with the purpose of raising awareness of fibromyalgia amongst professionals, families, and communities.

“It illustrates the ongoing life transitions of those who have fibromyalgia as well as its impact on significant others.

“A strong support network is so crucial to enable people to adapt to the multiple transitions triggered by fibromyalgia and flourish despite its substantial challenging consequences.”

As well as widespread pain, fibromyalgia can cause a range of issues for sufferers such as increased pain sensitivity, fatigue, muscle stiffness as well as problems with memory and concentration.

A new comic tells the story of life with fibromyalgia ?https://t.co/odc2px7CUy
Published this Friday @DundeeComicsCS at 6-8pm ? pic.twitter.com/RV4ual9DPS

— University of Dundee (@dundeeuni) November 29, 2017

Future editions will focus on heart disease and organ donation, while it is hoped an edition on autism will also be produced.

An interactive comic workshops, suitable for all ages, at the Dundee Comics Creative Space on Friday will be held to mark the launch of the first publication.

Professor Chris Murray, the world’s first professor in Comic Studies, said: “All of these educational comics tell first-hand experiences of these conditions by our brave and inspiring collaborators and the series aims to share valuable insight into these sadly common inflictions and diseases.

“Previously, we’ve done short comics about disability hate crime in partnership with Advocating Together in Dundee as well as a comic on surviving childhood cancer called Batman Danny.’