Narrative Transformation for Empowering Women in the Face of Illness. Insights from the “Sorrisi in Rosa” Project

The need of society to activate medical prevention has led the scientific community to value narrative skills to increase the understanding and acceptance of disease. With the diagnosis of cancer, everything changes: from the perception of one’s body to the relationship with family members, and it is only through the narration of one's experience of treatment that the person shares their feelings, emotions, fears and concerns with other individuals, retracing the imaginary experience and sharing a personal phase of their life. This approach meets Humanitas’ need to evaluate the “Sorrisi in Rosa” (SiR) project dedicated to accompanying women undergoing screening for or diagnosed with breast cancer to highlight the elements of impact and spaces for development in accompanying patients. Through emotional support and sharing their stories, patients involved in the program can develop a sense of community and mutual understanding. This not only provides an environment conducive to coping with the challenges of the disease but can also help reduce the sense of isolation that often accompanies breast cancer. The monitoring by CREMIT (Center for Research on Media Education, Innovation and Technology), in collaboration with IRCCS Humanitas is part of the desire to investigate and understand how storytelling can make illness and treatment a transformative process, capable of rereading and coping better with one’s personal experience as a woman. The research presented here, divided into three phases, focuses on analysing the narratives produced within the project and the questionnaire administered, to improve care and support for women involved in breast cancer screening and treatment programs.