Radiotherapy masks can look imposing, especially to young patients. How to transform an intimidating experience into an empowering one? This play specialist got creative
Keeping still during radiotherapy is crucial. It makes the difference between sending the treatment to exactly the right area or missing the mark. But it’s a skill that doesn’t always come easily to children. The masks that stretch over a patient’s face and shoulders and fasten firmly to a radiotherapy treatment bed can look intimidating to young eyes, says Lobke Marsden, a play specialist in the radiotherapy department at Leeds children’s hospital. So she decided to paint them.
“It’s a lovely feeling to be able to turn objects that can be quite cold and frightening into something personal and meaningful to patients,” she says. After checking that the paints didn’t interfere with the treatment, Marsden began painting, and has already transformed 38 masks.
“The children can request any design that’s meaningful to them and they’re often quite specific. One girl asked me to paint a mask with the same kind of hair she lost after chemotherapy. Superheroes seem to be very popular, so I get a fair share of Batman, Iron Man and Spiderman requests. By wearing their superhero mask, they take on some personality traits of their superhero and feel empowered.”
Marsden works with a small team including a clinical nurse specialist,…
