'Art helps me deal with my cancer diagnosis'

Wendy Brookfield's art therapy work and sketches were displayed at the Severn Hospice in Bicton Heath

After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Wendy Brookfield said she had lots of emotions.

But a referral to art therapy through the Severn Hospice, based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, helped her deal with what she was going through.

"There is so much going on in your mind that being able to go along to art therapy, I could just get it out and get it down on paper," she said.

"It just such a good outlet for me."

Her therapy sessions led to her starting a book of sketches which she regularly filled in, sometimes during her treatment sessions.

They inspired the hospice to host its own art exhibition, built around Ms Brookfield's work and with other pieces created by patients.

"I've just found it gives me so much positivity and I kind of want to share that with people," Ms Brookfield said.

The red tree was sketched during one of Ms Brookfield's chemotherapy sessions

"As a hospice, we are kind of scary to people," Rebecca Richardson, director of care, added.

"People think it is a place where people come to die and actually we do so much more.

"And we really want to connect with our communities."

Rebecca Richardson said the hospice could be seen as a scary place but offered a range of treatments

The event, which opened on the 4 November, was also a chance for the hospice, which costs about £10m to run each year, to raise much-needed funds.

Local artists were invited to sell their work with proceeds going to the hospice.

Among them was Karen Worrall who, as well as painting in her spare time, works as a volunteer running art therapy sessions.

She said she was inspired to give back after seeing the treatment her father received from Severn Hospice.

Karen Worrall was inspired to volunteer as an art therapy leader after her father was treated at the Severn Hospice.

"Near the end we had great support from the hospice," she said.

"I love art so I thought, right, I'll approach our lovely art therapists and see if I can help.

"When you paint, it is very mindful so you are in that moment and you can forget anything that is going on."

Ms Brookfield said she was amazed by the exhibition.

"A diagnosis is bad news, and it is a thing that so many people have to face," she said

"But if you can find good things to bring through that as well, it brings such an addition to your life."