Using the Visual Arts to Express Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms

27 Sep 2013

Pictured are the speakers and symposium organisers (left to right: Prof John F Cryan, Dr Gerard Clarke, Dr Aoife Nolan, Mr Paul Kennedy, Dr Alexander Ford, Prof Fergus Shanahan and Prof Ted Dinan).

Gut feelings were the focus of a recent symposium held in the Lewis Glucksman Gallery,  to coincide with the final weekend of the ‘Experience of Illness’ exhibition.

This event, hosted by the Department of Psychiatry, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience and the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC), focused on the serious impact which the symptoms of IBS have on the individual’s quality of life. Participants in the symposium were encouraged to submit an artistic representation of their experience of this illness and all entrants had an opportunity to win an Apple iPad.The winning entry of the art competition associated with the symposium is shown below. The drawing is a powerful depiction of the human experience of IBS and provides us with a deeper appreciation of the emotional and psychological impact of the condition. The artwork was on display in the gallery for the duration of the symposium along with many other depictions of the disease through the media of film, written word and visual art.

A number of guest speakers also featured at this symposium, including Dr. Alexander Ford, Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Gastroenterologist at St. James’s University Hospital, Leeds, who discussed some potential new treatments for IBS. It also featured talks from Professor Fergus Shanahan, who provided a historical account of the many misconceptions associated with the disease, and Department of Psychiatry/APC PhD student Paul Kennedy, who discussed some findings from the most recent clinical studies, carried out here in Cork.

The winning entry in the “Irritable Bowel Syndrome – the Experience of Illness” competition is shown on the bottom right.

A copy of Dr Alex Ford’s talk is available to download on the APC website: http://www.ucc.ie/research/apc/content/news_events/pdf/AlexFordIBSSymposium2013.pdf

article from UCC Medical Research News