Polish graphic medicine: O, Choroba

Today, while preparing a presentation on graphic medicine for a Polish audience, I came across a book by Boguś Janiszewski, O, Choroba, with illustrations by Max Skorwider. I’m not familiar with many similar titles in Polish literature, so seeing this book, published last year, pleasantly surprised me.

12-year-old Adela, the main character of the book, develops leukemia. The Disease is portrayed as a woman wearing red heels and long red nails, who refuses to let go of the girl. The Disease takes Adela on a journey to explain what illnesses do to the human body and how the body works. The book does a great job of explaining these complex issues in a creative way.

We learn what it's like to live in a pediatric oncology ward, the value of building a community of people who have gone through similar circumstances, and the necessity of maintaining optimism and the belief that recovery is possible. The book also discusses the critical issue of how a disease changes how we see our lives after it hits, making us more aware of the importance of taking care of ourselves.

I love how, at the end of the book, we can learn how it was created. Many people were involved in its development, from young patients and their parents to doctors, oncopsychologists, and members of the non-profit sector. This book proves that there are no taboo subjects and that you can talk about something as serious as cancer in a humorous way that engages and educates. This is a fantastic title that has undoubtedly raised the profile of graphic medicine in Poland.