Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Patients' experiences of penile cancer explored in exhibition
Additionally, students will challenge a host of creative thinkers, including academics, an artist, a writer and a nurse, to get up on a soap box and give a talk inspired by the exhibition.
The speakers include artist John Edwards, Manchester-based writer and journalist, Ally Fogg, Nurse Specialist Anne Storey, and Leeds Met academics Fiona Fylan, Reader in Psychology, Brendan Gough, Professor of Psychology and Dr Peter Branney, Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology.
The exhibition will run all week from Monday 4 to Friday 8 February in the ground floor foyer of the Rose Bowl, with the talks being held from 3.30-4.30pm on Monday.
Penile cancer is a rare but potentially devastating condition. During an 18-month study to create a health information resource on the award-winning www.healthtalkonline.org website, Leeds Metropolitan University researchers, Dr Peter Branney and Karl Witty at the Centre for Men's Health, met creative and inspiring men from across the UK. The exhibition allows the public to explore their artwork and quotes about their experiences of penile cancer taken from the website.
Dr Branney commented: "A lot of men have never heard of penile cancer and some are shocked to learn that the penis can get cancer. The UK is world leading in the treatment of penile cancer, yet our research shows the symptoms are regularly mistaken for a sexually transmitted disease, which delays treatment. If we talk about penile cancer more widely, then men might be diagnosed quicker and be better equipped to cope with both the physical and emotional impact of the condition.
"One of the main findings from the research was that although you'd think no-one would want to mention penile cancer, the men who were diagnosed felt it was easier to cope with when it was spoken about. Being open and honest and having a laugh enabled other people to offer help and reduce embarrassment. Particularly for those men who need reconstructive surgery, sharing the situation with family and friends boosted confidence and self-esteem and this was massively valued in the overall recovery process."