Telling your story through writing and the arts

“My Story”Excerpts from workshop

“Telling your story through writing and the arts”

Isabel MortaraInternational Union Against Cancer

14th UICC Reach to Recovery InternationalBreast Cancer Support Conference

Stockholm, 31 May 2007

Telling your story through writing and the arts

Why do we tell our story?

Storytelling is an ancient art of conveying events in words, images and sounds. Stories have been used in every culture as a means for education, preservation of culture, values, to entertain and as a therapeutic tool.

Arts as a tool for social change, empowering individuals and strengthening communities, has been an important field of work worldwide

Once considered on the fringe of health care, arts are being used by a growing number of leading medical institutions.

The use of Arts is becoming mainstream in healthcare in helping us recovering from illness and staying healthy.

Telling your story through writing and the arts

Should we tell our story?

“We tell ourselves stories to live.”Joan Didion, American writer

Professor Bygren from University Umea, Sweden:Cultural and artistic activity gives a person ideas to cope with everyday life and provides an emotional safety valve

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Traditionally, oral stories were passed from generation to generation.

Nowadays written and electronic media, the arts and the entertainment industry offer multiple possibilities for storytelling.

Through films

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Through books

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

With humour

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Through blogs

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Through art exhibitions…

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

..or photo exhibitions

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Telling your story through writing and the arts

How do we tell the story?

Telling your story through writing and the arts

Telling your story through writing and the arts

19

Reel Lives: “The Cancer Chronicles”

Telling Your Story

Lead sponsor:

Telling your story through writing and the arts

Reel Lives: “The Cancer Chronicles”

What is it?

� International film festival to honor those who have experienced cancer

� Film competition to culminate in a high profile event at UICC’s 2008 World Cancer Congress

� Entries will be judged by a panel of film industry celebrities

� An opportunity for people who have been touched by cancer to tell their story through the medium of film

� A call for thought-provoking, educational and inspirational films

Telling your story through writing and the arts

Reel Lives: “The Cancer Chronicles”

Why?

� To help shatter taboos and myths about cancer

� To educate and inspire people around the world

� To bridge cultural divides

� To help unite the global cancer community

� To demonstrate the global reach of cancer

� To highlight cancer’s impact on the developing world

Telling your story through writing and the arts

Reel Lives: “The Cancer Chronicles”

Who can participate?

� ANYONE!

� Professional film makers

� Amateur film makers

� Student film makers

� Cancer/patient organizations

� Winners will be recognized at the 2008 festival and receive awards

There will be separate judging categories for each!

Telling your story through writing and the arts

Reel Lives: “The Cancer Chronicles”

When?

� September 2007: entry submission launch

� 1 April 2008 deadline for entries

� 27-31 August 2008 film festival to announce the winners at the World Cancer Congress in Geneva

� Watch our web site – www.uicc.org and next Bloom editions for more information soon

Telling your story through writing and the arts

� UICC’s first international film festival to honor those who have experienced cancer

� Films will be accepted from professional, amateur, and student film makers

� Winners will be recognized at the 2008 film festival and receive awards

� Competition will culminate in a high profile screening event at the 2008 World Cancer Congress in Geneva

� For more information, go to www.uicc.org

Lead sponsor

Reel Lives: “The Cancer Chronicles”

CALLING ALL FILM MAKERS!