life-threatening illnesses, grief and bereavement
Leukemia Weekends 1989 – present
Twice a year children in treatment from the Royal Devon & Exeter & Plymouth Derriford Hospitals, along with siblings & other family members make the journey to remote North Devon for a wild weekend of creativity & adventure provided by Wolf + Water.
Part of Us Forever – 2003
An hour long film made with teenagers who have or have had cancer & leukemia & who wanted to create a film about their experiences that might help other young people in a similar position. Covering all aspects of the illness, from diagnosis, through treatment, through the effects on family & personal lives & through to recovery…or sometimes death - & reflecting on how the experience has changed them profoundly.
running with the pack
Here are links to three clips from our film, “Running with the Pack”, which documents one of our weekend drama workshops for children with life-threatening illnesses.
"The Land of the Lost"
( 1994 - two weekends with Wonford & Derriford Hospitals).
“The Waiting Room” - Devon - 2005
North Devon Hospice Dissolving Boundaries Conference.
This was the especially commissioned opening performance for this two day international conference exploring issues around death & dying, & looked at the complex & shifting relationships between the patient, the family carer & the professional. This was followed up with a workshop on using drama with people with life limiting conditions.
“Thanks for an outstanding performance at our conference”
Organiser
“Are you getting fed up with people telling you how brilliant you were yet?!”
“Motorized Wheelchair Men” – Truro – 2004
A collaboration with Effervescence Theatre, this project worked with 4 teenage lads from Treliske Hospital to create a film on their experiences of having Muscular Dysthrophy, including issues spanning bullying, stairs, discrimination & people who don’t have disabilities using disabled parking spaces…
SPOCC Conference - Birmingham - 2004
An especially commissioned performance for this conference of parents of & professionals with young people with cancer & leukaemia. Our show took the audience through the journeys of a couple of families & their children from diagnosis through treatment & in some cases recovery, in some cases relapse & in some cases death, in a performance that was funny as it was moving, we hope.
“Up in the Air” Printing Project - Treliske Hospital Cornwall - 2003
A project designed especially for young people with Cystic Fibrosis, who can’t meet in a group because of the risks of cross infection. Oliver West’s portable printing press wheeled its way to a number of creative spaces within Treliske where, over a period of 4 days, 13 young people aged 6 to 14 designed and made prints using the method of dry-point etching.
“Living, Dying, Living” North Devon Hospice Conference - Devon 2003
One of our most difficult commissions ever – to create a thirty minute show that explored cultural attitudes to death for this great conference organised by North Devon Hospice.
Children Bereaved Through Suicide - Devon - 2002
A discrete series of brief therapy sessions using drama & mask making with a group of children & young people who had been bereaved through suicide. By thinking about feelings & reactions to their bereavement, we worked with the children to create masks that depicted various states of response – anger, confusion, sadness, guilt & questions…