no sympathy shots - Ward 78

Ward 78 at Leeds General Infirmary is an extraordinary place. When asked to photograph teenage cancer patients, I have to admit I was a bit nervous; what would I see? How would I cope with such suffering? The reality was very different; Ward 78 sees these young people as teenagers first, patients second. They work tirelessly to engage and motivate them, whilst maintaining the highest standard of care. Consequently, the ward is bright and cheerful, there are always activities going on such as music or media workshops, beauty therapies or makeovers. The staff's attitude is that it is their job to make the young peoples' stay a positive experience, regardless of the outcome of their treatment. The team wanted the positivity captured, to display on their website, to allay any future patients' fears, who may have had the same assumptions as I had.