Comic Art Creation as Supportive Care in Cancer Patients and Caregivers

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine the feasibility of using a 10 week (Workshop A) or a 5 week (Workshops B-C)
comic art creation workshops for supportive care.

II. To determine the feasibility of studying comic art creation workshops for supportive
care.

III. To describe those factors affecting the ability or inability of participants to engage
in the workshop.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To describe changes in emotional wellbeing and communication of patients and
caretakers/family/friends.

TERTIARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Identify the methods that most engage supportive care patients and caretakers.

II. Identify the social and cultural interactions most impacted by comics creation.

III. To describe participant feedback regarding the intervention and study design.

OUTLINE: Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 arms.

WORKSHOP A: Patients and a family member, caretaker, or friend participate in an artist-led
comic art therapy workshop over 2 hours once a week for 10 weeks. Patients and participants
receive a range of assignments that focus on creative art and experimentation with materials
and storytelling in order to make a series of small handmade books that relate directly or
indirectly to their experience with cancer. Patients undergo a qualitative interview over
approximately 45 minutes and complete validated questionnaires within 4 weeks prior to the
workshop and midway through the workshop.

WORKSHOPS B AND C: Patients participate in an artist-led comic art therapy workshop over 3
hours once a week for 5 weeks. Patients receive a range of assignments that focus on creative
art and experimentation with materials and storytelling in order to make a series of small
handmade books that relate directly or indirectly to their experience with cancer. Patients
undergo a qualitative interview over approximately 45 minutes and complete validated
questionnaires within 4 weeks prior to the workshop.

After completion of the study, patients are followed up at 1 and 6 weeks.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Documented written informed consent of the participant

- Workshop A (2017 - 10 weeks- City of Hope)

- Either one of the following:

- City of Hope (COH) cancer patient (all types and at any time point of their
disease) OR

- Caretaker/friend family member of the cancer patient

- Workshops B and C (2018 - 5 weeks - City of Hope)

- Cancer patients (all types and at any time point in their disease)

- Note: documentation to confirm this eligibility criteria will not be requested;
self-reporting as a cancer patient will be considered adequate

- Ability read and speak English

- Willingness and ability to complete the entire workshop, including the interviews and
questionnaires (there is no predetermined qualification with regard to the ability to
hold an artist tool; accommodations and creative solutions will be made to facilitate
participation)