Cancer survivor turns trauma into art in short film

6 hours ago

Dawn LimbuWest of England

News image — Chloe Jacquet reimagines chemotherapy in her short film Chemotherapy Airways

Chloe Jacquet Chloe Jacquet is dressed as an airline cabin crew, with a black dress, pink scarf and pink turban. She is crouching by a seat and is holding a champagne flute with a cocktail of pills to the camera. — Chloe Jacquet reimagines chemotherapy in her short film Chemotherapy Airways

A cancer survivor has transformed her trauma into art with a short film which intends to redress the narrative around cancer treatment.

Chloe Jacquet, 45, a breast cancer survivor from Cirencester, created "Chemotherapy Airways" - a short film based on her own treatment.

Jacquet, who is a writer and an artist, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 and underwent two surgeries, six cycles of chemotherapy and 20 doses of radiotherapy.

"When I was told I was going to need chemo, all the images that sprang to mind were those I'd seen in the media," she said.

"These always seemed to be of ashen, thin and bald people looking sad and feeling terribly sick," she continued.

"While I understand the value, as a patient, I found them terribly distressing.

Hundreds oppose plans for new Forest of Dean town

Two people taken to hospital after bus crash

Pop-up market closes ahead of bridge demolition

"Cancer still has this fear around it. And because more people are surviving it than ever before, I think it's really important that we are open about it and we talk about it."

Macmillan Cancer Support estimates that there are almost 3.5m people living with cancer in the UK.

The charity said that while there is still much need for improvement average survival rates for cancer patients in the UK have increased significantly in recent decades.

Chloe Jacquet Chloë Jacquet is dressed as an airline cabin crew, with a black dress, pink scarf and pink turban. She stands in the aisle of an empty plane and smiles at the camera as she touches a suitcase in an overhead cabin. — Jacquet's film is based on her own experiences of chemotherapy

In her short film, supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, Jacquet uses her artist's perspective to challenge cancer narratives and turns chemotherapy into a surreal flight.

She said it was the phrase "the cancer journey" which initially sparked the idea.

Jacquet wrote about her experiences throughout her treatment, which she said helped her to process her feelings.

"I wanted it to give other patients a feeling that they're not alone, to open up conversation," she said.

"I also really want to give people permission to laugh about it because you need laughter to get through tough times."

Chloe Jacquet Chloe Jacquet is dressed as an airline cabin crew, with a black dress, pink scarf and pink turban. She is leaning over a passenger's seat as she pours a drink into a glass. — "I wanted it to give other patients a feeling that they're not alone," said Jacquet

The short film is set onboard the fictional Chemotherapy Airways plane, where rather than life vests, passengers are offered life pyjamas, all food tastes the same and the trolley is filled with duty-free medication,

"I'm hoping that patients will find it helpful, palatable and enjoyable, and give them a bit of strength and courage when they're going through some scary times."

The film will be released on Jacquet's website and social media platforms on Wednesday 4 February, to coincide with World Cancer Day.

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.