It is with great joy and pride that we present our series of comic books: ‘A Journey Through Clinical Trials’, created by the “Children’s Memorial Health Institute”:
The first of these was produced in 2020 as part of the conect4children project – COllaborative Network for European Clinical Trials For Children. The publication is the result of collaboration between the Research Department and the authors: Beata Dyszkiewicz-Dziadak, who was responsible for the project’s graphic design, and Małgorzata Piotrowicz, who prepared the script and content. ‘A Journey Through Clinical Trials’ is an attempt to make this complex area of science more accessible, particularly in the field of paediatrics. One evening, the main character, Wilk, asks himself an important question – how do we actually know how to treat children? His friend tells him about the history and current state of affairs, the opportunities and risks, as well as the hope for new, effective treatments. The comic has been positively received by academic reviewers as a useful tool for conveying knowledge about clinical trials in paediatrics.
The latest comic in the ‘Wild Ball’ series is dedicated to epilepsy – a neurological disorder – and clinical research in this field.
“One in every hundred people worldwide suffers from epilepsy – a condition characterised by recurrent, paroxysmal disturbances in brain function. Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Vincent van Gogh, Agatha Christie, Prince and Elton John all suffered from epileptic seizures. Many myths and misconceptions have arisen around this condition, often resulting in the ostracism of people with epilepsy due to fears of contagion, the belief that epilepsy involves dangerous mental disorders, or simply a lack of knowledge about what to do in the event of a seizure. For the person affected, particularly a child, a diagnosis of epilepsy is also very difficult for this reason. It is also difficult for those around them: family, friends and schoolmates. The comic ‘The Wild Ball’ helps readers to understand, in an accessible way, what epilepsy is and what we should do if someone around us has a seizure. I hope it will help to reduce the fear associated with epilepsy, and that people with epilepsy will feel less often rejected and unwanted.”
Prof. Katarzyna Kotulska-Jóźwiak, MD, PhD – Head of the Department of Neurology and Epileptology at The Choldren’s Memorial Health Institute.