Persistent pain is a reality for millions of people, shaping everyday lives in ways often unseen.
It impacts between 30% to 50% of people across the UK and is the biggest cause of disability, yet public misconceptions about persistent pain are common and can be a significant barrier to good management.
Teesside University academics are leading a project to address these public misconceptions, with the aim of improving public understanding through storytelling.
Flippin’ Pain through Digital Storytelling will share real stories of persistent pain, through digital storytelling and theatre.
In this joint blog, Antonia Liguori, Professor of Participatory Storytelling and Public Policy at the Institute for Collective Place Leadership in the University’s School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law, and Cormac Ryan, Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation in the University’s School of Health & Life Sciences, share how they are leading this project which aims to address misconceptions.
As part of the project, digital storytelling workshops were organised to support creation of short films in which participants reflected on their pain journey. These films are being shared at public events and online platforms to increase public awareness on pain management by amplifying lived and living experiences of pain.
Why is it needed?
The Flippin’ Pain campaign – a key partner of this project – is both a national and regional award-winning public health campaign, collaborating with Teesside University academic researchers to improve public understanding. The campaign has reached over 100,000 people through public engagement activities, and the hope is for increased engagement with people from disadvantaged communities.
Why does it matter?
Persistent pain disproportionately impacts on people from disadvantaged communities, yet these are the very people who would most benefit from hearing the campaign messages. This lack of engagement from those who could benefit most could lead to wider health inequalities.
Digital Storytelling will offer an additional approach to expand the reach of the campaign by creating a safe, accessible and inclusive space for all communities and individuals by collectively reframing ways of listening and mutual learning.
Who is it for?
People with persistent pain, or individuals who live with people affected by persistent pain, are already likely to engage, but due to the preventive nature of the project we also seek to engage with those who do not have persistent pain.
How will the project work?
The team has co-produced a piece of theatre and a collection of short films based on the lives of people with lived experience of pain whose lives were radically positively changed by better understanding their pain. Through these stories, the key messages of the campaign will be communicated in a targeted way to the general public to encourage interaction.
How do I get involved?
Come along to The Uninvited Guest, to see the innovative performance exploring the lived experience of persistent pain, which will be brought to life through comedy and powerful storytelling.
Touring venues across the region from October 10 to 19, The Uninvited Guest sheds vital light on the personal, social, and emotional impact of chronic pain, challenging misconceptions and fostering a deeper public understanding.
The production has been co-created by Theatre Space North East, in collaboration with Flippin’ Pain, academic researchers at Teesside University’s, and community members, with funding support from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Impact Acceleration Account at Teesside University, working closely with AHRC Impact Acceleration Fellow Dr Sally Blackburn-Daniels.
The Uninvited Guest blends research, lived experience, and creativity to open new conversations around pain, health, and resilience. The show promises to be a unique insight into a subject which has impact on an increasing number of lives – all set against the backdrop of a family wedding.
The project also coincides with European Pain Awareness Day on October 15, when the theatre performance will be filmed and live-screened by project partners Flippin’ Pain .
- Meet Professor Antonia Liguori
- Meet Professor Cormac Ryan
- Book tickets for The Uninvited Guest
- Find out more about Flippin Pain
