Overview
Terminal cancer is a pressing health issue that takes a huge emotional and mental toll on the patient. However, the impact of this diagnosis on patient caregivers is often overlooked. Many caregivers are family, friends or relatives who take on this role informally and unpaid. Caregivers experience levels of distress equal to or greater than patients, yet effective, evidence-based resources for caregivers of patients with advanced cancer remain scarce. They face unique emotional and mental challenges compared to those caring for patients with potentially curable cancer, such as anticipatory grief and feelings of shame and guilt.
CALM for Caregivers
Master’s Research Project
Clients
Rinat Nissim, PhD, C. Psych
Sarah Hales, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Karley Wulf, RN, MPH
Shelley Wall, AOCAD, MScBMC
Date
September 2025
Role
Illustrator & Book Designer
Format
Print and digital
Audience
Caregivers of patients with advanced cancer, targeting women 50+
Tools
Figma, Adobe (Fresco, Illustrator & InDesign) & Notion
Funding
Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation
Proposed Solution
The Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) team at Princess Margaret Caregiver Clinic from the Department of Supportive Care have created a written document called CALM for Caregivers: A Workbook for Caregivers of Patients with Advanced Cancer, that caregivers can engage with independently. This project will transform this textual document into an engaging, highly visual workbook, employing empathetic comics that embody the caregiver experience.
Potential Contribution to Biocommunication
This project will further demonstrate the efficacy and credibility of graphic medicine in patient and caregiver education in hospitals for older adults. By increasing exposure to this format, we hope to contribute to the already growing field of graphic medicine. To date, this will be the first graphic narrative-based workbook designed specifically to support the needs of caregivers of patients with advanced cancer.
Goals and Objectives
CALM for Caregivers is a graphic narrative-based workbook that will facilitate caregiver awareness, knowledge and confidence in themselves and their care. Our goals are: (1) Use the principles of visual narrative to provide caregivers of patients with advanced cancer easy to read and use information and exercises that reflect their specific circumstances, and (2) Contribute our expertise in visual and interactive media design to create a workbook that can support family caregivers for patients of advanced cancer by instilling confidence and greater awareness. Our objectives are (1) To design effective and compelling illustrations and comics for a caregiver workbook and (2) Use formative feedback from target audience to optimize workbook effectiveness.
Design Considerations
Each domain features an accent colour derived from a master greyscale palette, ensuring that illustrations retain strong contrast and clear visual hierarchy when printed or viewed in black and white, while maintaining overall cohesion throughout the workbook.
Colours and their pairings comply with WCAG standards.
