Extract from Kennedy Barnes' project "In It Together" by Lesley Brook

"In It Together"

A new digital publication builds understanding of experiencing cancer.

For this third year project, Communication Design student Kennedy Barnes decided to represent the experiences and embodied knowledge of fellow survivors from the Young Adult Cancer Support Group Dunedin and their time undergoing treatment.   Kennedy compiled a creative digital publication to support youth chemotherapy patients while undergoing treatment in Otago public hospitals.

The publication, called "In It Together," records their collective experiences. The publication conveys the confusion, catastrophe, and hope associated with a serious illness, showing that healing is an uneven and continuous process. The stories are complemented by an illustrative expression, exploring identity disruption due to illness.

“In It Together” illuminates patient experiences of local cancer survivors, using peer story-sharing to encourage resilience and courage. Kennedy's goal was to show that human bodies are enduring and malleable, subject to disaster but also to repair - an important reminder for anyone touched by cancer. 

Find out more about working with our Communication Design students.

Kennedy's project has won her the Student Public Good category in the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards 2019. The Best Design Awards are an annual showcase of excellence in graphic, spatial, product, interactive and motion design.