Cardiff Met project gives people with cystic fibrosis a voice in their healthcare
A Cardiff Metropolitan University collaboration is helping people living with cystic fibrosis share their experiences and communicate more openly with healthcare professionals through the power of storytelling and illustration.
To mark World Cystic Fibrosis Day on 8 September, Cardiff Met is highlighting the impact of CF Stories: In Your Own Words, a project using real patient stories to improve healthcare.
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited genetic condition that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system. Although advances in treatment have transformed outcomes for many people with the condition, managing it remains a complex and lifelong challenge.
The initiative was led by Anna Suschitzky, who was awarded a fellowship through Story Arcs, an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)-funded programme led by Bath Spa University to work with Cardiff Met colleagues and the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board on co-creating a collection of digital stories centred on the experiences of people living with cystic fibrosis.
The main aim was to support communication between people living with the cystic fibrosis and their clinical teams. Through a series of online workshops, participants were given the opportunity to tell their stories in their own words, creating resources that offer valuable insight into the realities of living with the condition.
As part of the collaboration, CSAD illustration graduates Polly Allburn and Hope Martlew-Cousins worked closely with participants to create original illustrations that accompanied a number of the stories.
Anna Suschitzky, Story Fellow and project lead, said:
“At the heart of this project was a simple idea: that people living with cystic fibrosis know their own bodies best. By creating a safe space for them to tell their stories in their own words, we were able to develop resources that can help strengthen understanding and communication between patients and their doctors.”
The project has also created new research opportunities; funding has been secured through the AHRC-funded Lles Consortium, led by Swansea University, for a doctoral research project exploring how illustration can support the development of shared decision-making aids in healthcare.
The PhD project, due to begin in September 2026, will investigate how storytelling and illustration-based research methods can contribute to more authentic shared decision-making tools, supporting meaningful conversations between patients and healthcare professionals.
Anna was supported by Debbie Savage and Amelia Huw Morgan from Cardiff School of Design, and Dr Rhiannon Phillips from Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, as well as Dr Jamie Duckers from Health and Care Research Wales.
Debbie Savage, Associate Dean of Research at Cardiff School of Art and Design, said:
“This project has helped amplify the voices of people living with cystic fibrosis while exploring new approaches to communication between patients and clinical teams.
“The involvement of Cardiff Met researchers and illustration graduates demonstrates the value of creative practice in addressing real-world healthcare challenges. We are delighted that the project has created a foundation for future research into how storytelling and illustration can support shared decision-making and improve healthcare experiences for patients.”
Here are some comments from the participants in the project:
“What surprised me most was how therapeutic the experience became. Putting my story into words helped me understand how I truly felt about certain moments and gave me a sense of validation that I didn’t realise I needed.”
“ ... I think the fact that these are digital, I just think makes them ... more powerful than if I was to be given a piece of paper that had all the scripts on it.”
“It’s amazing how a short four-minute clip can be so powerful and thought-provoking.”
“Quite often the key thing is to get a publication in a journal that then sits behind a paywall that no one can access. So, this is hopefully something that’s just much more accessible”
“I’m really grateful to have been given the space to tell my story and I hope sharing it helps someone else feel a little less alone.”
To learn more and read the stories, visit: CF Stories – In your own words (Story Arcs)