Painting Women's Strength: The Art of Women's Resilience.

The main objective of the project was to strengthen the psycho-emotional well-being of women with cancer or in remission and to support them in returning to fuller functioning in social and profes...

The main objective of the project was to strengthen the psycho-emotional well-being of women with cancer or in remission and to support them in returning to fuller functioning in social and professional life. The beneficiary sought to achieve this by developing new working methods combining elements of art therapy, mindfulness, breathing exercises, music and mental resilience building. The partners wanted to develop solutions that could be used after the end of treatment, when women most need support but are left without systemic psychological care. Another important goal was to improve the competence of staff working with adults so that they could respond effectively to emotional crises and support the rebuilding of social relationships among participants. The partners also intended to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by women after cancer and to counteract stereotypes and feelings of stigmatisation. Another important result was to be the creation and testing of practical educational materials for specialists and women themselves, to be used to continue working on well-being. The evaluation shows that the objectives set out in the project proposal have been fully achieved.

The project implemented activities aimed at strengthening the psycho-emotional well-being of women with cancer or in remission, as well as developing the competences of staff supporting this group. First, a preparatory visit was made to the transnational partner, during which a detailed schedule, rules of cooperation and availability of planned activities were finalised. This was followed by staff mobility in Portugal (a change from the grant application), during which trainers from both organisations exchanged experiences and observed classes: art therapy, coaching, mindfulness and classes on the needs of women after cancer treatment. The knowledge gained was used to create content for publication. This was followed by a return visit to Poland. At the same time, the teams developed educational material entitled ‘Painting Women's Strength – The Art of Women's Resilience’, containing lesson plans and worksheets for independent study. The final stage was the mobility of the participants – women in remission – during which they tested the developed tools in practice by participating in support workshops, mindfulness exercises, creative artistic activities and classes building self-esteem.

The results of the project can be divided into three complementary areas. Firstly, the soft effects concerned women with cancer or in remission. The participants experienced an improvement in their well-being, a reduction in tension related to the fear of recurrence, an increase in self-confidence and the restoration of social contacts. They developed a sense of agency and a willingness to engage in activities outside the home. Secondly, the professional results involved trainers working with adults from a disadvantaged group – cancer patients. Through the exchange of experiences, they acquired new knowledge and practical tools for working with women after cancer treatment, including art therapy, mindfulness, breathing techniques and resilience building. This improved the quality of the support provided and the ability to respond to emotional crises. Thirdly, the partners achieved institutional results. The beneficiary and the association from Portugal strengthened their capacity to work with cancer patients, expanded their range of activities and acquired sustainable tools for grassroots work. The most important tangible result was the development of the script ‘Painting Women's Strength – The Art of Women's Resilience’.