In ‘Naasten’, two illustrators and a researcher from Radboudumc sketch recognizable, poignant stories about informal care in the final phase of life.
Two storylines
In the comic book, Radboudumc has merged the results of an interview study by Maaike Haan with the work of two artists: Melanie Kranenburg and Niek van Ooijen. The book contains two storylines. One about Geert, who takes care of his wife with metastatic cancer and one about Eva, who takes care of her father with COPD.
Experiences caregivers
‘Neighbours’ is not intended as a manual. The book should provide an insight into what it can mean for informal carers to care for someone who will soon die. The book fits within the movement of ‘graphic medicine’, in which comics make experiences of illness and health more visible, understandable and open to discussion. The stories of Geert and Eva illustrate how complicated and confronting it can be at times, how much pressure it can give to do the right thing for the other person for the last time – but also how loving, beautiful and grateful this care can be.
Graduation project
The book was the graduation project of the two illustrators from ArtEZ University of the Arts in Zwolle. Kraneburg and Van Ooijen each took on one storyline, which means that each story has its own drawing style.
In the October issue of Plus Magazine we pay attention to palliative care. Read the article ‘So loving can be a goodbye’ here.