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Women turning pain into art

Ella Al-Shamahi talks to聽two women from Romania and the UK about how they use the pain from their chronic conditions as fuel for powerful creative expression.

Chronic illness - and the pain it often brings - affects millions globally. But while women are more likely to experience chronic pain, they鈥檙e less likely to receive adequate treatment. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two women who have transformed their experiences with pain and chronic illness into powerful creative expression.

Polly Crosby is a British author living with cystic fibrosis. Feeling invisible in the stories she grew up reading, she was inspired to write The Vulpine, a young adult novel deeply rooted in her personal experiences: the protagonist鈥檚 condition closely reflects Polly鈥檚 own. Polly is dedicated to portraying characters with disabilities and chronic conditions authentically, without invoking pity or hero-worship.

Lavi Picu is a Romanian-Canadian interdisciplinary artist and Lyme disease advocate. She uses painting, drawing, and poetry as therapeutic tools to manage her condition while raising awareness for chronic illness. Lavi's art acts as a visual aid to, in her words, "make the invisible visible".

Produced by Emily Naylor

Release date:

27 minutes

On radio

Mon 6 Jan 2025 04:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Mon 6 Jan 2025 04:32GMT
  • Mon 6 Jan 2025 13:32GMT
  • Mon 6 Jan 2025 18:32GMT
  • Mon 6 Jan 2025 23:32GMT
  • Sun 12 Jan 2025 01:32GMT

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