Photorelation: 2024 Graphic Medicine Conference in Athlone, Ireland

This year's Graphic Medicine Conference was held at the Technological University of the Shannon in Athlone, Ireland. It was also my first time visiting the country. Compared to the two other Graphic Medicine conferences I attended, this university seemed highly engaged in organizing the event. Under Jane Burns' leadership, faculty members participated as session moderators and panelists, while volunteers assisted attendees in navigating the campus.

This time, the schedule felt even more packed than usual. As always, I enjoyed attending different workshops and sessions, and learning about others' work and graphic medicine projects.

I presented at the conference on two frameworks that guide my storytelling: The Heroine's Journey and The Journey of Integrity. My presentation explored how these frameworks help illustrate women's truths in my graphic memoir, which navigates themes of health, disability, and childhood trauma.

I was also invited to record an episode for the Graphic Medicine podcast. Though I was nervous since it was my first podcast appearance, Dr. Christopher Dwyer made the conversation an enjoyable and fun experience.

The modern campus of the Technological University reminded me of Maastricht University in the Netherlands, where I graduated.

And the city of Athlone reminded me so much of Maastricht, evoking nostalgia with its canals and rivers, historically rich sites, small-town charm, and modern university infrastructure.

The next conference will be held virtually, and I can't wait for the 2026 conference in Boston. See you there!

Photo by Nathan Cafolla and Jeff Harvey, courtesy of TUS.