'A Space in Time for Us' artwork launched in Derry's Altnagelvin Hospital

A beautiful new artwork was launched at the North West Cancer Centre in Altnagelvin Area Hospital on Friday morning last.

The piece, entitled ‘A Space in Time for Us’ was created to celebrate World Cancer Day 2025, and explores the journey for those living with dementia who have also been diagnosed with cancer and looking specifically at the care experienced as well as identifying any care gaps.

The participants in the project have been mainly populated by DEEDS (Dementia Engaged and Empowered Derry and Strabane) members who are living with dementia (PLWD) alongside a cancer diagnosis, their carers (some who have had cancer themselves) and those with dementia looking after a loved one with cancer.

They have been supported by DEEDS and Western Health & Social Care Trust Macmillan professionals to participate in a series of workshops with the artist Maureen McGhee. The participants shared their cancer journey and gathered words and symbols describing elements of their care and any care gaps. As an artist, Maureen Mc Ghee loves to combine natural woods with her copper design work. In this project she uses the symbol of the tree and its wood grain as representing ‘time’ and ‘age’.

The artwork uses a beautiful piece of County Tyrone Bog Oak which has an estimated age of 5,000 years supplied by Gaia Heritage Arts & Crafts. The oak tree is of course, representative of the city of Derry whose name is derived from the original settlement on the banks of the River Foyle at the site of an Oak Grove.  

Participants have worked on making copper oak leaves and raindrops which have words or images embossed on them reflecting their own journey. Each participant’s signature, rolled into the copper is symbolic of each person being a unique individual and not identified by their age or diagnosis. Just like each leaf on a tree is unique.

Some of the service users from DEEDS pictured at Friday's event.

The raindrops in nature feed a tree. In this art piece, they hold symbols and words to represent care and support given to each person during their care journey. Copper was used as it is easy to form and stamp and then coloured naturally by heat drawing out a range of rainbow colours from the copper itself. An important final and emotional process was the placing of the leaves and raindrops onto the bog oak by each person in a position of their choice.

The final outcome is the most beautiful and striking artwork but the process where the care given and the care gaps were discussed has been as equally important. 

For many participants, it was the first time they had been given that chance to discuss and share their stories. Often when people are diagnosed with dementia, they are not included in the discussions and decision making about their care.

This was reflected in the feedback: (1) ‘The project has been so lovely. I had cancer twice and it has been a chance to talk about it as I haven’t been given that chance to talk before. Talking about my experience has helped me.’ (2) ‘I felt that I needed to do the project, to help other men talk about these things. It helped me and I felt good.’ (3) ‘I did not know until I was in the room with the surgeon that I had cancer, it was never mentioned. It was a shock but I just did what I was told to do. From childhoood I was always told to ask no questions. Now I know it is good to talk. “

DEEDS Support worker Wendy McLaughlin commented on the importance of giving people living with dementia a voice and a platform to be heard.

"We have felt that this project was very important as participants had expressed that they had never been given the opportunity to talk about their cancer experience before. We have learned from their feedback the importance of 'See Me. Hear Me. I am still here'.

"For medical staff to learn to use simple language and even visuals to explain complex medical terms at their cancer appointments. DEEDS has also delivered an immersive dementia awareness training for staff as part of this project which we hope will help build a more dementia friendly service.”’ 

For artist Maureen McGhee, realising the art piece has fulfilled a personal dream for her.

"I hope that the wonderful words of the participants inspire others to listen, to talk and to share their own journey through cancer with others. I feel very privileged to have been involved in giving a space to the voice of those living with dementia and cancer and their carers."

IN PICTURES: Cancer and Dementia: 'A Space in Time for Us' artwork unveiled in Derry

Sinead Devine, DEEDS Co-ordinator added ‘We want to extend a huge thank you to Macmillan Cancer Support for funding this project, to Maureen for her wonderful facilitation, to WHSCT Estates Team for their support and to Lesley Finlay for her support at the Macmillan Health and Wellbeing Campus, Altnaglevin and for hosting the project. 

Una Cardin, Western Trust Assistant Director of Cancer and Diagnostics added: "On behalf of the staff at the North West Cancer Centre (NWCC), I would like to say thank you to DEEDS and Macmillan Cancer Support for the beautiful new artwork 'A Space in Time for Us' which has been created to celebrate World Cancer Day 2025. 

"It is important that people living with cancer and dementia have had the opportunity to come together and share their experiences while creating a lasting memory of this project through art. It will be placed centrally within the NWCC for others to admire and appreciate."