Case Study: Chronic Women

Introduction

Chronic Women is a poetry project aimed at improving understanding of women’s health conditions and addressing inequalities in healthcare and outcomes for women in Wales. Hanan Issa, the current National Poet of Wales, worked with Gwyneth Lewis and 12 additional women writers with lived experience of chronic health conditions and disability, to create a bilingual poetry anthology published in February 2026 by Honno. The poets led 10 workshops with women and NHS staff in Spring 2026, using the anthology to explore the role poetry can have in supporting women living with chronic health conditions. The project was delivered in partnership with the Women’s Health Network (NHS Wales Performance & Improvement) plus Aneurin Bevan, Hywel Dda and Swansea Bay University Health Boards.

The Challenge

The project was inspired by the Welsh Government’s 10-year Women’s Health Plan (December 2024) which outlines the inequalities in healthcare and outcomes for women and girls. A key priority within the Plan is raising the voices of women and girls so that health professionals can gain a greater understanding of their experiences. Hanan Issa and Gwyneth Lewis believed a poetry anthology would help address this challenge, recognise and support women experiencing chronic health conditions and open up new conversations. Initial meetings with Dr Helen Munro, Women’s Health Plan Clinical Lead, helped clarify aims, Honno joined as publishing partner while the Arts Development leads at Aneurin Bevan, Hywel Dda and Swansea Bay University Health Boards joined as community engagement partners.

The Approach

The project took place between January 2025 and April 2026 (total budget £25,000). It began with two online bilingual workshops led by Hanan Issa and Gwyneth Lewis which brought together the 14 women poets, all of whom have lived experience of chronic health conditions or disability. Together they explored and agreed their approach for the anthology before composing their poems, each of which was translated before Honno prepared the work for publication. Ten workshops took place in Spring 2026 in partnership with the Women’s Health Network and the three Health Boards, led by contributors to the anthology who were also experienced creative facilitators. Groups engaged included mothers who had had difficult pregnancies or births, women living with addiction, women with chronic pain, plus healthcare professionals working in chronic pain, a women’s health stakeholder group and lifestyle medicine group. Hanan Issa and Gwyneth Lewis were joined by Dr Helen Munro, Sioned Erin Hughes, Durre Shahwar and Emma Smith-Barton for a culminating event at the Senedd on 19 March, sponsored by MS Delyth Jewell (Chair of the Senedd Culture Committee), sharing the project with politicians, academics, health strategy and arts professionals plus the media.

The Impact

Evaluation drew on written reflections, conversations and scheduled meetings with participants and partners. It reveals the powerfully positive impact of the anthology and the workshops both for the women writers and those who participated in the workshops: “I wish the newly paralysed me had been given this collection; she would have felt less alone. I can’t wait to hear how this collection changes the lives of readers, building community and nurturing solidarity.” (Bethany Handley, writer) “I’ve never had the chance to talk about my mental health from a writing perspective in such a careful space.” (Durre Shahwar, writer) For Dr Helen Munro, (Women’s Health Plan), the poems “speak with a clarity and courage that is impossible to ignore”, while the project “is an act of testimony, a call to awareness, and, in many ways, a rallying cry.” Workshop participants (most new to creative writing) noticed a positive shift in mood, and the word ‘calm’ came up repeatedly: “good for my mood and feeling and calming my brain”, “creative, calming and very educational”, “calming and relaxing”. Healthcare workers were quick to recognise the potential: “My patients would benefit from a session like this”, “I didn’t expect it to be as powerful”, “important work, thank you”.

Lessons Learned

We adapted the schedule to create more time for the poets to work together building trust and exploring their approach. We learnt that working with healthcare professionals – those directly supporting women, in strategic positions and in research and teaching positions – is key to ensuring long-term impact. Enabling them to experience first hand the difference Chronic Women and creative writing workshops can make is a crucial first step as we look to broaden our networks and develop the next phase of the project.

The Legacy

Chronic Women book events continue to take place online and across Wales. Distribution to healthcare settings, policymakers etc. continues. We are contacting all public libraries, encouraging them to stock the book. Academics from Cardiff University are adding Chronic Women to the reading list for medical students, and planning a Chronic Women workshop for 2026/27. We are exploring a new project using Chronic Women to strengthen person-centred approaches to patient care and investigating the impact on health outcomes.

Website and Social Media Links

https://www.literaturewales.org/our-projects/chronic-women/ https://www.honno.co.uk/books/chronic-women-%7C-menywod-cronig

Contact Details

Catrin Slater, catrin.slater@llenyddiaethcymru.org

Tags: poetry, creative writing, literature, women's health, women and girls, chronic health conditions, chronic pain, health inequalities

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