Introducing Our Graphic Medicine Project with Dr. Melissa Wholeben
DUKEScomics is excited to share an innovative project at the intersection of art, health, and storytelling. One of our specialties is Graphic Medicine: creating comics that illustrate complex health narratives to educate, inform, and inspire. By collaborating with educators, researchers, and healthcare professionals, we bring compelling visual stories to life that resonate with diverse audiences.
We are proud to present an interactive digital comic that we developed in partnership with Dr. Melissa Wholeben, Elvira Carrizal-Dukes, and Ronnie Dukes. This project focuses on Trauma-Informed Care, a critical framework that emphasizes understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of trauma in healthcare settings. Through vivid storytelling and engaging visuals, the comic provides a unique and accessible way to explore this essential topic.
This collaborative effort has also been featured in an academic article authored by Melissa Wholeben, Robert McCreary, Elvira Carrizal-Dukes, and Ronnie Dukes. The article “Developing a trauma-informed care graphic narrative educational tool for emergency trauma nurses” delves into the research and insights that informed the creation of the comic, highlighting its potential as a teaching tool and resource for healthcare professionals.
Visitors to our website can now experience the interactive digital version of this comic, which brings the narrative to life through an engaging and immersive format. For those interested in the scholarly context and findings, a link to the published article is also available at this link (click here).
We invite you to explore this project and discover how Graphic Medicine can transform the way we share and understand health narratives.
Latina Brain Health with Nurse Christy
This digital comic gives tips to Latinas on how to support brain health.
Caregivers’ Health with Nurse Sarah
This digital comic gives tips for stress reduction and relaxation for caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
Visualizing Health Stories
DUKEScomics writes and creates art for graphic medicine, which is an academic term used to describe visual stories of various lengths about health topics, as well as comics that are good for your health. From working with researchers, nurses, educators, and community partners, DUKEScomics collaborates on projects that teach people about their own health, we provide honest storytelling paired with vibrant sequential art.
The art of communicating sometimes traumatic information to patients may be a challenge for some health professionals. We provide easy to read and engaging customized comics. We illustrate various stories based on research and real-life health situations for health professionals and educators to assist them in communicating effectively using a more gentle approach to help patients learn how to navigate their health concerns.
DUKEScomics has created original short comics, motion comics, and art elements for various projects, such as Caregivers’ Health, Latina Brain Heath, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, HPV vaccine awareness, and Trauma-Informed Care. Contact us to discuss your project. Click on the Contact tab in the menu at the top of this web page.
This is one comic panel that shows a family visiting grandma in a health care room. The granddaughter sits on the bed wondering why grandma doesn’t recognize her. Her mom is in the background fighting back tears. The comic shows three generations of women – grandma, mom, and daughter. Dad stands behind the daughter touching her shoulder. The granddaughter asks, “What’s wrong with abuela?”
This comic may be used to begin a conversation with your family members about grandma’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
DUKEScomics featured on the official Graphic Medicine website.
A huge thank you to Graphic Medicine for sharing our work and supporting the power of graphic medicine. Click here to read the article.
Este es un panel cómico que muestra a una familia visitando a la abuela en una sala de atención médica. La nieta se sienta en la cama preguntándose por qué la abuela no la reconoce. Su madre está en el fondo luchando por contener las lágrimas. El cómic muestra tres generaciones de mujeres: abuela, madre e hija. Papá está detrás de la hija tocándole el hombro. La nieta pregunta: “¿Qué le pasa a la abuela?”
Este cómic puede usarse para iniciar una conversación con los miembros de su familia sobre el diagnóstico de Alzheimer de la abuela.
DUKEScomics’ collaboration with Alzheimer’s Association
Journal Writing and Doodling Workshops for stress reduction and relaxation.
Virtual workshops
Journaling or expressive writing is a process by which one writes down their thoughts and feelings. Doodling is drawing or scribbling and involves the creation of a spontaneous image. The activities of journaling and doodling enhance self-exploration and emotional processing, reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Support for caregivers
Repetition, Anxiety and Agitation, Confusion and Suspicion, Aggression, and Wandering are common behaviors encountered by caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association has a 24/7 Helpline number for caregivers: 1-800-272-3900 or visit their website alz.org. It can help to have a dementia-trained professional to talk with when you feel overwhelmed or at a loss for what to try next.
También estamos ofreciendo los talleres en español.
Este es un cómic de cuatro paneles que representa a una hija que cuida a su papá que tiene demencia. El padre repite la misma pregunta porque olvida que ya la hizo.
El diálogo de Panel 1:
APA: ¿Ya termino COVID?
CRUZ: Todavía no, Apa.
El diálogo de Panel 2:
APA: ¿Ya termino COVID?
CRUZ: Ahora hay una vacuna contra el COVID-19, Apa.
APA: No, esa es una mala idea.
El diálogo de Panel 3:
APA: Quiero que se acabe COVID. Quiero ver a mi hijo, ir a la tienda. Creo que iré a ponerme la vacuna, Cruzita.
CRUZ: Yo también me voy a poner la vacuna contra COVID-19, Apa. Lo hago para
protegernos.
El diálogo de Panel 4:
Estimado diario: ¿Cuándo terminara esta pandemia?
Taller en español
Relaje su cuerpo y su mente mediante la escritura de un diario y el dibujo de garabatos. Los cuidadores están invitados a aprender estrategias creativas para el manejo del estrés mientras aprenden a conectar con su ser querido a través de reflexiones sencillas de escritura y dibujo. Aprenda a descifrar los mensajes de comportamiento, a identificar los desencadenantes comunes del comportamiento y a aprender formas de ayudar a intervenir con algunos de los desafíos de comportamiento más comunes de la demencia. No es necesario tener experiencia en dibujo y escritura. Esta es una colaboración entre la Asociación de Alzheimer’s de Texas (Sección Oeste), la Universidad de Texas en El Paso, y Dukes Comics.