Design Studio 2B

Week 1.1

Group- First Meeting

Briefing

Heading 2

For this semester, there was not much detail on what we were gonna do in the first term before going to London. However, we were very much aware that we must form a group consist of 5 people. So, we already formed them up even before the first day of our meeting at school. Our Group consist of my first term team member Say it Pal; Rakshita, Tasha, and also Vilyn and Sindy.

That time, after the brief was out, we immediately created our own timeline on how we want to finish this project/ the necessary timeline we need to put our mind on (presentation and submission).

Discussion: NGO and Singapore

Moving forward, we then take a look into some lists of Non-Government Organization available in Singapore from these following website sent by our lecturers:

1. Givepedia

2. Ngo Base

At first, we were a bit confuse about how we should tackle/identify the problem that the NGO faces. Because obviously, they will never just mention it bluntly on their website about what they need. However, the biggest challenges that we may faced onto along the project may not be the research part, but to think innovatively while still being "make sense" to create bigger societal impact f the NGO itself.

However, after taking a quick look from the two resources, we found quite big number of NGOs available in Singapore. At the same time, we all agree that we won't choose an NGO that may require just sudden/straightforward solution as it will not create significant impact on the future.

So, as a group, we then discuss and do further research about NGO, what do they challenge, and what happen here currently in Singapore

What does the usual NGO's challenge?

1. no funds/donations

2. no volunteers

3. lack of partnership

4. lack of awareness (mayb incl. branding??)

5. lack of resources/space

6. Government rules and regulations

7. stigma

What are the current rising issue in Singapore?

NGO+ Current Issue in Singapore

Discussion: Consideration of NGO

NGO that handles Food Wastage

Free Food for All is an IPC-registered food charity committed to addressing food insecurity in Singapore. We provide access to tasty and nutritious food to vulnerable individuals and families regardless of race, religion and nationality.

1.

Key Takeaways:

This NGO focuses on providing equality on the food distributions in Singapore
Their website and service are stated out clearly, and by the first glance We right away understand what they are offering
Stated really thoroughly about their volunteer opportunity ranging from the designing, marketing, and not just about their operations

2.

Key Takeaways:

This NGO is there to end the food insecurity in Singapore, but only focused on Family
Very inclusive about Halal, vegetarian, vegan, covering all races and religion needs towards the diverse in Singapore

3.

Food From Heart

is a leading charity in Singapore dedicated to alleviating hunger through efficient food distribution programs.

Key Takeaways:

Focusing more towards the economic part and sustainability about the distribution of food in Singapore
Having a lot of partnership in order to achieve their vision and mission
Killing two birds in one stone, since they also focus on raising awareness about hunger and its impact, to heightened the knowledge of the importance of society towards change of food inequality

NGO that handles "Community Spirit"

When we talk about "community spirit," what we really mean is the strong sense of togetherness and solidarity within Singaporean communities. Initially, our focus was on fostering friendly neighborhoods because we believed that the warmth and camaraderie among residents would contribute to a more positive environment and society as a whole.

1.

Helping & Empowering our Neighbours (HEN)

is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting low-income families in Singapore by providing financial assistance and teaching essential life skills for personal growth and empowerment.

Key takeaways:

Focusing on reducing the poverty rates by offering tax reduction
Accept donations and will distribute towards the recipient family to improve their overall wellbeing, especially on education for the children
Heightening the community bonds, especially between neighbours

2.

Focus on the Family Singapore

is a local charity dedicated to helping families thrive by providing trusted and useful family life education, resources, and support for parents navigating parenthood, strengthening marriages, and nurturing relationships amidst today's pressures.

Key Takeaways:

Straightening the marriages of the family since their mission faced towards building "healthy" family of singapore
Providing support groups for family by fostering better connection between relationship in the family
Providing financial assistance for individuals or families who are struggling, but with the goal of having better relationship in mind (not just simply supporting for education of the children)

3.

HCSA Community Services

is a charitable organization that empowers vulnerable populations, including recovering drug addicts, abused teenage girls, and single parents with limited support.

*not so much about fostering connection between neighbors, but more about rehabilitation from dug addicts*

Key Takeaways:

Providing support towards the “victim” of abused accidents
Providing residential treatment for the abused individuals
Preparing for the future of the individuals, especially working-related

4.

Inmates' Families Support Fund

helps families affected by incarceration, providing financial, emotional & social assistance during a family member's incarceration and supporting programs that aid in rehabilitation & reintegration upon release.

Key Takeaways:

Providing assistance to families impacted by incarceration, offering financial, emotional, and social support during their loved one's time in prison.
Holistic Aid: Delivering comprehensive assistance tailored to financial aid to alleviate hardships, emotional support to cope with challenges, and social assistance to maintain community connections.
Providing donations for increasing of the support of the NGO

5.

Blossom World Society

is a non-profit organization established in 2008 by professionals from various fields including education, entrepreneurship, engineering, IT, and psychology. Their mission is to inspire individuals with excellent leadership skills and promote community service spirit through sincerity, gratitude, kindness, and service.

NGO that handles Teenage Pregnancy

1.

Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support Ltd

is a non-profit organization that provides emotional and practical assistance to teenagers aged 21 and below facing unplanned pregnancies, empowering them with information and resources for informed decision making.

Key Takeaways:

More action towards the young adults who faced pregnancy
Promoting more education for the target audience since currently in Singapore, the society will give different treatment for them. Thus, this NGO will help them to support the emotional part and give more information towards the crisis situations (unplanned pregnancies)

2.

AWARE

is a leading gender equality advocacy group in Singapore that believes in equal opportunities and rights for all individuals regardless of gender. They work to remove barriers preventing individuals from realizing their full potential, focusing on education, marriage, employment, sexual and reproductive rights, and more.

NGO that handles Drugs

1.

The Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA)

is a non-profit organization established in 1972 that helps individuals recognize their ability to resist drug influence and rise above it. SANA's mission involves social engagement with at-risk communities, equipping caregivers and counselors for aftercare and reintegration, assisting those in recovery to reintegrate into society, and leading purposeful lives. They aim to inspire positivity, restore hope, and invigorate action in every interaction.

Other scope of NGOs that we considered for:

1.

Cycling Without Age Singapore

is a registered charity dedicated to giving seniors the chance to feel part of society by offering free bike rides, reinforcing trust, respect, and social glue in our community.

2.

Drama Box

is a Singapore-based charity and socially-engaged theatre company, established in 1990. Their mission is to create thought-provoking theatre with broad social reach through deep and intimate engagement. They focus on marginalized narratives and encourage communal contemplation of complex issues, fostering a deeper understanding of Singapore's culture, history, and identity.

Discussion: Our first thought process, Civic-Mindedness in Singapore

In our initial approach, we actively sought to partner with a Singaporean NGO to engage directly with local community concerns. As we delved into our research, it became evident that the sense of distance from our neighbors, a feeling we've personally experienced since the onset of COVID-19, is a widespread sentiment among Singaporeans as well.

Personal Reflection:

From all of our research, we find that it is very much universal experience that a lot of neighbours are getting distant between one another. It even comes towards an impression as though a lot of people are becoming different person, once they stepped out of their house's door.

The kind of connection that they used to have are no longer there, and Not being closely connected with neighbors in Singapore can lead to various consequences

Firstly, there's a risk of diminished community cohesion, resulting in feelings of isolation and loneliness. Additionally, the absence of strong neighborly connections can mean lacking informal support networks during emergencies or personal crises.
Safety concerns may also arise due to decreased neighborhood vigilance. Finally, a lack of close ties with neighbors can result in reduced social capital within the community, impacting opportunities for mutual assistance and collective well-being. Therefore, fostering connections with neighbors is crucial for building a supportive and resilient community fabric in Singapore.

Even though that we have already gotten into the point of choosing an NGO from this approach (civic-mindedness) we did not follow through this direction, as we don't think that there are opportunities for us to expand their service that are not required government's involvement.

Discussion and Research: Pregnancy and Babes <current NGO>

Personal Reflection:

Given that we didn't explore avenues related to civic engagement or neighborhood support, we redirected our attention to engaging with NGOs that cater to pregnant women. With our team comprising entirely of girls and our shared empathy for the challenges faced by expectant mothers (especially between the society), we felt compelled to contribute to improving their well-being and ensuring a brighter possible future for them.

About Pregnancy: What does pregnant woman need to go through?

The kind of approach/ opportunities we would like to offer:

Since the five of us have never been pregnant before, we went through research about what kind of "pressure" that they felt during and after pregnancy. Because most of them, or at least the minority of them are those who are still going to school, the kind of pressure that they faced from the society are different than those who are working already. So, other than the effect of the "pregnancy depression", based on our research, they would also face: judgment and social isolation. This can disrupt their education due to medical appointments and physical discomfort, leading to academic challenges. Additionally, schools may lack adequate support services, leaving pregnant students feeling unsupported and overwhelmed. These pressures can hinder their educational experience and future opportunities.

Thus, it then really heightened up our purpose to goes towards this direction and discuss further about our roles in service design

Following thorough consideration, we promptly selected 'Babes,' a well-established NGO known for its support of young expectant mother. While acknowledging their strong reputation, we identified an opportunity to introduce fresh approaches to address the specific challenges encountered by their target audience

About our NGO, Babes:

Babes is currently grappling with a significant issue: a shortage of financials.

Due to limited financial resources, their activities are hindered, making it clear that addressing the funding aspect is crucial. However, other than tackling this pressing need, we're also dedicated to exploring additional avenues for engagement that can benefit their target audience without solely relying on monetary contributions.

This dual approach enables us to provide immediate support while simultaneously working towards their long-term sustainability

Feedback from Lecturer

It might be a great approach to choose an NGO that we can relate by heart. Choosing the direction to go further about the pregnant women will benefit us more since the service -solution for “community spirit” will only be working effectively with government’s involvement in making the regulations
Is there any new value that can be added on the Babes?
The targeted young teenage pregnant women may really be niche and too narrowed of approach
Is there any new facilities that can be provided on the NGO and not just tackling for education part?

Our Response:

We realize that there are a lot of limitations if the target market of the Pregnant women are too “little”, since there are a great trend in Singapore where people don’t even want to have any children.
We questioned ourselves, “if there is a downward trend for young mother, then will the problem that they face will still be continuously arise?” And the answer is no. We realized that if we still continue on following further about this direction, it will make us hard to do the research to understand really about what their needs (on the target audience pain-points, and not just the NGO)
As for the NGO, there may not really much thing to do other than pushing on the donations, since that is the root problem of the setback of this NGO
We will try to find other NGO and find bigger problem that Singaporean faced.

Week 1.2

Discussion: "Should we shift our NGO to cancer-related?"

After listening and digesting the feedback from our Lecturers, we feel that tackling on the issue of pregnancy nor the kindness of neighbor may not really benefit us/ very much easy to provide an innovative solution since we don't really gain much empathy on it. So, we then discuss further about the problem that currently Singapore faced, which is the rising of cancer patients among young adults:

The picture above is an instagram page by a woman who suddenly got diagnosed with cancer at the year of 27, right before her wedding. We feel very much empathize on her condition and agree that this problem or condition can just happened to anyone. Along with the sudden rise of number of people who got cancer <we read by the news and checked on the exact number of it on the next research>, a lot of resources are available, and it is one of the cases that everyone may face; or even should face (prevention part).

Before actually focusing on tackling cancer's matters/ find out more about the NGO, we also narrowed down the kind of possibilities of NGO with cancer related prevention and treatment faced and put it as our opportunities:

- Donations

We could tackle on the emotional part to gather more donation/ charity to facilitate the NGO's program or services, or even to support their funding since treatments for cancer requires a lot of money

- Spread awareness about cancer

Cancer in fact could be prevent by doing earlier screening. However, some people may not understand the importance of it. By us becoming their creative team, it would help them to catered more audience so they are aware of the issue they may have gotten

- Creating collaboration with partnerships to support cancer patients

The most direct example is by us having partnership with wig/ physical treatment for cancer patients, since they physique may be affected due to chemotherapy (hair loss/ bruises)

Research: Singapore Cancer Society

What is it?

Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) is a self-funded voluntary welfare organization that provides patient care services, free cancer screening, and promotes awareness & prevention since 1964. They support over 100k beneficiaries through various programs & services. Donations are tax deductible.

Core Service

Partnership

Personal Reflection

As an individual with a family oriented background, I'm very grateful that I have never gotten any family members that got lost because of cancer nor covid. Sometimes I wonder about the kindness of people who actually got into the volunteer on the health segment, to provide better life for other people. And from this research, I realized that I should personally be more involved about the kind of kindness that I can offer to other people, especially those who need the assistance. I may not be ready or financially steady to give donations for their treatment; but I may be applicable for providing them support so that they can still have the spirit to continue their lives in the middle of the difficult moment.

Throughout the discussion and research, the five of us then agree to further go into this direction of choosing Cancer as our topic for this Project, as we also got the empathy to also be involved in making the cancer patient's well-being better

Research: Other things we should know about cancer in Singapore

Statistics

Key Takeaways:

The rise in cancer cases in Singapore is influenced by lifestyle choices despite strict regulations. Smoking, unhealthy diets, and lack of physical activity contribute significantly to cancer risk. Additionally, government involvement in cancer prevention and treatment is crucial. Adequate funding, policies, and resources for research, prevention programs, and healthcare services are essential. A multi-faceted approach, including public health campaigns and policies to reduce environmental carcinogens, is needed to effectively address the increasing cancer prevalence in Singapore.

What does the government say?

Questions we need to ask to ourselves

From all of the data that we’ve gathered, we then discuss about what kind of approaches and services that we can offer for the SCS:

Is there anything that we can do to improve the help related with the medication for patients?
There is a possibility for us to educate the new cancer patients, connecting them with the survivor so that they can got more understanding about how to “survive” or at least to cope with what they are going through
We could provide community that shows wide range of story of cancer awareness, to reduce the future possibilities of the arises number of patients
We should have better reason on why this issue needs to be tackled
How exactly is cancer in societal perception?

Feedback from Lecture

Overall topic is too broad but narrow at the same time. So we must find better findings about what exactly is happening towards the cancer society in a perspective of the target audience (demographics) as they may faced with various challenges; and what is lacking on the organization
As SCS is one of the biggest NGOs in Singapore, they may face bigger challenges rather than stigma, donation, and volunteerism
Gathering more involvement from families and friends may be beneficial for us, since what they are currently doing mostly just tackling on the patient only
Is a platform of awareness really a big problem? What is the root causes
Find more reason on why people got cancer, by doing it this way we could have better understanding of the root problem and tackling for the prevention
Do more case studies about other NGOs, or even about other countries’ since it could provide us with more insights

Our Respone

We realized that it may not be fair for us to just research on the surface and what’s already stated out there, and we need to even gather more research from those who got affected by cancer. It may be wider range, as in not just from the patient; but affecting the parents and family. Maybe there is also a relevant point of affection of their relationship?
We realized also that the SCS are not just tackling for one specific age group, this then makes us questioned, whether it's because of the limitation of fundings? or just about their mission?
We will do more case studies and comparing about what the other age groups are facing based during cancer
Our further action of research can be seen from the next stages of my journal, heheh:)

Research: Cancer in Different Age Groups

1. Children

WhatsApp Image 2024-01-30 at 16.00.47.jpeg

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Key Takeaways:

The biggest difference of this age group is that they felt more support from the friends rather than their family
Since they have not yet developed lots of emotions and exposure towards the "world" they tend to just keep their emotions and thoughts by themselves
Their pain points are more towards the emotional part (spiritual, psychological aggression, anxiety), communicational problems, knowledge, and care-related problems.

2. Young adult (18-40)

Key Takeaways:

3. Middle Aged-Elderly

Key Takeaways:

Cancer Patients's pain points

Throughout the discussion, we were trying to find a possible pain points that can also bring us some opportunities to tackle their matters in our design. However, we realized that throughout the discussion, we were getting a bit sad and very very down, as we try to imagine as if we are one of the people who have friends or family affected by cancer.

Then, we are trying to cheer ourselves up and giving more reasonable empathy to rather give the people who got cancer some hope, to feel better under the circumstances, and not got carried away by the idea of cancer, haunting us.

How would we react if someone we know got cancer

As we want to propose more ideas on having more touchpoint the family and friends's angle, we then try to imagine ourselves in the position of having one. Here are some of our thought and reaction in the context that we got the news:

So, what should we do?

Discussion: Interview and Survey (Possible Questions)

Result of survey questions

Questions about Cancer in general

Key Takeaways:

Our Respondent are mostly "Young adults", and they don't really think that they have the possibilities much to got cancer.
Most of them thought that cancer are mostly targeted towards the elder generations, as well as those from 25 above

About cancer in Singapore, and their involvment

Key Takeaways:

Lack of Awareness: The cancer prevention campaign is unfamiliar to many, resulting in low volunteer participation rates
Personal Connection: People are more inclined to volunteer after experiencing a loved one's battle with cancer
Role Relevance and Flexibility: Volunteerism is driven by roles aligning with personal interests and flexible schedules. Other external factors including for assignment or school’s duty

For people who know one family/ friends battling cancer

Key Takeaways:

Personal Connections: Many respondents know someone with cancer, especially in the 55+ and 45-54 age groups.
Emotional Impact: Upon learning about the diagnosis, individuals commonly experience sadness, shock, and fear of loss or personal battle.
Support Actions: Most offer emotional support to their loved ones, followed by assistance with daily activities and financial aid.
Fear: Many respondents who know someone with cancer, becoming more fearful and mindful of their own health as they don't want to got the same battle

For people who don't know one family/ friends battling cancer

Key Takeaways:

Reaction of Others: Those without affected relatives experience shock and sadness, often unsure how to respond initially.
Action-Oriented Support: They prefer practical assistance, like accompanying loved ones to appointments and helping with daily tasks, over solely offering emotional support.

The survey highlights a notable lack of awareness among young adults regarding the possibility of developing cancer, potentially due to limited awareness campaigns in Singapore. This demographic predominance underscores a gap in understanding cancer risks among this age group. Despite personal connections to cancer, respondents demonstrate a shared inclination towards offering emotional support and practical assistance, such as accompanying loved ones to treatment and assisting with household chores. This presents an opportunity for the Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) to expand its services by fostering connections between cancer patients and their loved ones, promoting mutual understanding and support to enhance the well-being of those affected by cancer.

The survey results have highlighted a crucial gap in our approach and ideation process, framing our resources by just looking through the internet and ask people who never got cancer, rather than direct engagement with people who got affected by cancer. Recognizing this limitation, our next course of action will prioritize gathering firsthand information from individuals, believing it will yield richer insights.

This realization underscores the significance of research in our work. By directly engaging with people, we can deepen our understanding, foster empathy, and conduct more comprehensive user testing to their genuine needs, rather than relying solely on assumptions or preconceptions.

our homework:

Our next step involves delving deeper into understanding the types of pain experienced by cancer patients, aiming to gain comprehensive insights into their emotional well-being. We seek to explore non-medical avenues to alleviate their suffering, focusing on emotional support. Subsequently, we'll investigate the misconceptions surrounding cancer patients' experiences throughout their journey, aiming to address and dispel any misunderstandings.

Research: Pain in Cancer:(

Research: Competitor Analysis in Singapore

1.

Core Services

Some Events they have with external members

Social Media

Area of Opportunities

Key Takeaways:

Since this is an NGO for Children, how they re-design their whole branding and social media presence are different than SCS. That also includes the kind of services and things that they offer, including the activities, that are more catered towards the children's likings
Even from the picture that they uploaded on social media, you could clearly see that the children who got affected by cancer, still currently battling, looks very happy and optimistic as though they have beliefs for their disease to end
We could offer more ways of getting SCS more donations, since it is currently the struggle that they face to expand their service
Opportunities: we could choose one target audience of cancer, and create sub-brand for the SCS, and design all the activities that are more catered for them

2.

Partnerships

Core Services

Programme

Campaign

Key Takeaways:

Since this is an NGO that is dedicated for one cancer type, their approach and service are very much specific and we would say, quite covering all of the data that the family, friends, or even those who got cancer to know
Their campaigns and current action on tackling the cancer are well-spread and reach more audiences, not just those who got cancer. Some of them even involving the loved ones on the campaign, to make them understand about what their family going through throughout the disease. By doing this, we seek the opportunity to also do that in our NGO, so that all of their family members and friends can gain more empathy on helping and giving support for cancer patients.
For branding, they are quite straightforward and consistent, which could be one aspect that compels some audiences to constantly take part on their activities/ campaign

3.

Core Values

Programme (Prevention)

Programme (Cancer Fighting)

Programme (Cancer Education)

Counselling

They provide counselling (also known as talk therapy) for clients seeking to work through personal and relational challenges such as mental health concerns, caregiver stress, grief and loss and adjustment to medical illnesses.

Patient's Stories

Other Events

Volunteer

Key Takeaways:

This is the NGO that is very similar to SCS, since they not tackling at one specific age group nor specific cancer
The way they promote and provide their services are very clear, divided into "prevention", "during" or even after the treatment of cancer
Their way of showing the activities they provide are very clear also, since they made monthly calendar
All of their activities are shown on the website, which could be the reason why more and more people are participating on their activities, since they have proof and the pictures that they choose really show their involvement and happiness
Outside of action, they offer meal plan, which is one of the aspect of their prevention program, which, we find lacking in SCS
Even though that they are not targeting certain age group, a lot of their activities provided are mostly involving elderly, such as detox exercise, running, taichi, and low intensity body exercise
They stated the counseling platform for either cancer patients or the family (which we can consider to put on the SCS)

Research: What's there to support in different treatment for cancer patients

Inspired by the available activities that 365 offers, we were trying to gather more information about what currently are all services, even outside NGO available for the cancer patients in Singapore for us to find more opportunities on finding which angle where we can come in

Pre-treatment

For this section, a lot of services are related towards screening, which some may not be applicable for people who have not reach 25 years old.

However, there is this one website from health hub, that is designed very similar to looking like a game, where they can tell you on what kind of cancer that one may have the possibility to got, based on their age, gender, and lifestyle.

During Treatment

This is what’s available for SCS, and there are not much services offered for them (as in to show during that section and not for them to scroll through other section). Observing this, we thought that for SCS, it would be better if all ongoing service/care that they provided are summed up to this one section, as it won’t make it too confusing for their audience.

Some of the government related organizations are conducting more activities that involved with exercising. Some examples are including Yoga. Other than that, they actually then provide a separate physical centre where all treatments (mostly prevention) are conducted in one place.

Palliative care is provided by a multidisciplinary team that includes doctors, nurses, social workers, and other healthcare professionals who work with a patient’s healthcare team to provide an extra layer of support.

The care team also provides an individualised and comprehensive plan of care that addresses the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of caregivers.

Post-treatment

After getting their cancer done, there are some chances of rellapsing. Which is why for those who just finished their cancer treatment, the hospital or their cancer treatment would most likely advise them to keep their lifestyle healthy, preventing the cancer to coming back.

All of the services provided are currently more focusing on the physical well-being; by providing more exercise and not so much towards the emotional one, as for example: tackling the anxious aspect of coming to work (which we got as one of the responses on the surveys), anxious of the difference appearance, and the sense of community, which is proven to effectively affect the chances for the cancer to come back.

Research: Comparison to Other Countries - Japan

1.

2.

The Cancer Survivor Club is a project of the Japan Cancer Society. Mainly run by survivors, their mission is to create a society where the 7 million survivors nationwide can "live with hope."

Their goal: Supporting cancer patients so they are not isolated, as well as the family members and community who support cancer patients.

Via its own dedicated website, this Club provides various services such as the latest cancer-related information and so on. Every month, Cancer Survivor Club founder Tadao Kakizoe speaks with people who have faced cancer in various capacities. However, they are all just an articles and not a forum where people can communicate/ interact with one another

3.

Aspects that we could learn from Organizations/ Government in Japan:

1. Involvement of government on tackling the cancer patients: Since Japan is one of the countries that have majority population that got affected by Cancer, it is then becoming quite reasonable for the government to then take part in maintaining their people's well-being, started from their physical or even their emotional.

Some of their involvement are related towards creating certain regulations for the jobs matter (for post-treatment), which is effectively help them to still got the job that once been hold due to the long cancer treatment

2. Available service that is catered in controlling their lifestyle: The first reason that they have a lot of people got cancer are because of the unhealthy lifestyle. Which is why, then the government involvement is including their smoke habits

3. Awareness, prevention, and education: They take cancer seriously, but they still make the people to aware about it not so much in a very formal way, but fun way to make it memorable. One of it includes a study trip to help people learn about cancer, while it also promotes on what is available, the kind of service that will be provided if let's say they got cancer

4. Friends and Family Engagement: Japan take involvement of the family and friends on the goal of cancer treatment. For example, they would involve the family to be playing roles as the "second" patient of cancer, to increase their awareness about their loved one's experience to gain more empathy

5. Getting donations: In order to support the operation of Cancer support group (which is available a lot and located in various places in Japan), the government conduct the donations/ source of funding from very subtle activities that may not even related to cancer at all. For example: musicals

Research: Comparison to Other Countries - Australia

1.

2.

Aspects that we could learn from Organizations/ Government in Australia:

Acknowledging the reason that triggered cancer: Just the same as Japan, it is proven that most of the population in Australia would more likely to build cancer due to the strong of sun- heightening the cancer rates for skin, and the government as well as the Australians acknowledge, and aware of it

Collaboration with local organization: due to the high chance, they then create a lot of collaborations to prevent the cancer to happen, by providing free sunscreen or providing new invention of product that will help prevent the cancer to happen (portable sun screen)

Accessibility to participate from public: Some organizations in Australia help the people to get more money to fund their cancer treatment/ to fund program for cancer prevention by very subtle donation. For example: from wedding- buying pins and it will be donated for the cancer, wig loaning service

Availability for wide range of cancer community from different ages: Different than Japan and Singapore, Australia have their own community for young people impacted by cancer. This organization also help provide an app/ platform that can connect the youth, which is also designed and dedicated to them

Program that actually creates TOUCHPOINTS for the right audience, right time, right way: Some of the program they conduct are not simply to hold or promote exercise, especially dedicated only for the elderly. There is even a “camp” conducted for youth, with the goals to help the youth adjusting to the cancer experience, developing connections, and is FREE

Research: Comparison to Other Countries - Denmark

Source of Funding and how they make use of their funding:

Their area of focuses: 1. Research

Their area of focuses: 2. Preventing Cancer

Their area of focuses: 3. Patient Support

Aspects that we could learn from Organizations/ Government in Denmark:

Transparent funding source and Donations: Most of the money that they gathered to fund their program are from the private donations, and the money then goes towards funding the main purpose of the organization. And, they have proven report regarding that. By providing this transparency, it will then push the future donations to still be going on

Research and prevention: Other than just simply providing support group/ activities for the cancer patients, they focuses more on preventing the cancer to happen at the first place, by always having ongoing research about the early detection, early screening, or even deeper research about possibility of rare cancer that may not even happening

Research: Comparison to Other Countries - London

Most of the organization in LONDON related to cancer is meant to be for one specific cancer/ a private institution

1.

2.

Donation

Direct donation platform, since they display all this on their homepage!

Research

They partnered up with leading clinicians, professor, or other institution in London with the aim to:

improve the current chemotherapy/ treatment
Early detection
life after cancer

Main Campaign: Never Too Young

Be the campaigner

sign a petition, email your MP or speak to decision makers in your local area. "You’ll also have the opportunity to give your views and feed into our campaigns."

Early Diagnosis

Aspects that we could learn from Organizations/ Government in London:

Easy access for donation and volunteerism: While accessing their website, the main interface that the audience will have the access to is their participation in donations. By doing this, it will help people to actually want to take part in and it can be applied to the SCS as well.

Food: one of the reason that the local got cancer is because of their diet. Acknowledging this, there are also ongoing organizations that will be available for any people, not just the cancer patients to be in contact with and have the specific meal plan

Successful campaign: In order to raise more awareness about the other existing cancer that harm most of the local, London create an inclusive campaign where it then be accessible for even approaching wider audience, placing it at different places, and involving more and more people that suits the target.

Research: Comparison to Other Countries - America

Aspects that we could learn from Organizations/ Government in America:

Connecting cancer survivor:). By doing this, later on SCS will be able to gain more exposure and conduct more activities that can possibly ties more connection for the current cancer patients to be more aware about what they are going through, and be helped by the survivor to keep on adjusting their life affected by the disease.

Food and Diet for Cancer Patients

Generally food restrictions/ recommended diets for cancer patients are just to encourage faster healing with chemo therapy side effects and for them to feel less weak with their bodies. Also to keep their immune system strong in order to keep illnesses away.

Research: Lifestyle Changes for Cancer

Personal Reflection

The picture that I put above is a screenshot of our research, contributed by 5 people in the span of 4 days. This is my first time ever to be a part of such big group, with tough topics. And I would say that even that our ideation or the process on directly finding pain points are a bit different, from such wide resources.

However, through this process, I also learnt that in encountering and completely understanding our persona’s perspective will take a lot of time. Probably, while doing deeper research and comparison with what people in other countries’ stories, will also contribute much for how we are going to approach this whole project better. At the same time, it is a bit confusing for us, to be bombarded by a lot of informations.

Throughout this time, we got the main key points that people who got cancer may not be represented well enough through their countries (see: Singapore for example). Let alone that is involving the government’s regulations, how the people around them treated them, available community, or even available resource of funds.

Now, if the type of cancer is different, the availability of money are mostly similar (since all countries we researched about are well developed countries), why does each difficulties and the people’s experience, differently?

The answer is: the difference of culture.

Take Japan for example. They are also an Asian country but the government did take place on the regulations for cancer-care, about providing regulations that make the cancer free people to still be involved or have the chance to get jobs. But Singapore?…….. it’s because of the different culture between the two countries. As Japan is a well known country to be very much workaholic.

Thus, Singapore’s government can not really play big part of the “working” opportunities, but rather play bigger parts on the prevention. For example: banned of vaping.

Research: Interview

Cancer Survivor #1

Florentina, 47 years old

What was the most difficult part?

treatment - chemo every 3 weeks (almost for about 4 months+) in total 12 months. And their post treatment have a lot of effect for the first 10 days especially the physical ones (vomiting, nausea, uneasiness). During those days, you would not have any apetite while doctors would suggest you to eat a lot of nutritious food. So, you must do some activities to distract yourself from the uncomfortable

How did your friends & family react?

At first they don't really know that cancer could kill or even come back again. So, they all were just believe in me and the medications that they would cure me someday

Any specific topics or conversations that you find comforting or distracting?

In my case, I was thankful that I was able to detect the cancer at earlier stage. So, cancer to me was a disease that I believe I would pass through with medications and support from my surroundings. And I've never had any tough topics/ conversations prior to cancer

Food/diet restrictions

During treatment, the doctors would encourage me to eat a lot. However, since I did not have that much appetite due to the chemoteraphy, I would just eat anything that I wanted to eat, since they also never said about any food/ nutrition that I should avoid. Even so, of course I had never eaten any additives/ chemical food.

What made you happy

Definetely the time when the nausea/ vomiting ends (after day 10). Because then I could comfortably work again and do my regular activities. Also, I am so grateful to my family and a support group called "Faith" which included of other people who battle cancer; even up until now, we would still meet together and have quality time together.

What's the biggest difference in your life (before and after diagnosis)

This journey of my life then reminds me of how blessing God is throughout my life. I then become more closer to Him, with my family, and live a much more healthier life by doing more exercise, eat healthier food, prevent grilled food

Personal view towards cancer and how it changed

For me it has always been the same. Cancer is a disease that can be cure as long as you keep on being strong, surrounded with your loved ones, keep on being positive and believe in the treatment

Activities & tips that help them get through cancer

To endure or distract myself from the pain, I would usually play the game Candy Crush/ any activities that would make me forget about how slow time is (during day 1-10 after chemo). ANd after that, I would just continue to go to work and do things that I love

Person who's worked with cancer patients #1

Bhuvana
Background: Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Craniosacral Therapy Foundation training from Body Intelligence International and Advanced Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy trainings from Karuna Institute UK.

How did your experiences with individuals who have faced cancer influence your perspective on health and illness?

Important to keep ourselves as healthy as possible, have the right kind of practices for physical and mental health

In your interactions with cancer patients, what kind of emotional challenges did you observe, and how did you address or support those affected?

Emotional challenges:- When faced with death, regrets about what you did/ didn’t do. Working through those regrets through therapeutic practices.

Can you share a specific instance where you had to provide emotional support to a cancer patient or their loved ones? What did you learn from that experience?

The day before her passing, the patient was in so much pain, and her son called me. When I went to the patients house, I saw the family singing devotional songs. I gave the patient a craniosacral therapy session and she went into a place of deep rest. I was to go there the next morning, but by then, the patient had passed away. The husband of the patient told me that I had been of so much help, and that really moved me.

What resources or assistance did you find most beneficial for cancer patients during their treatment, and why?

My own training in trauma therapy seemed to be supportive for the patients that I’ve treated based on the fact that they reached out to me for help.

How do you think the societal perception of cancer has changed over the years, based on your interactions with patients and their families?

I haven’t worked with enough cancer patients to be able to answer this question.

In your role, how did you contribute to creating a supportive environment for cancer patients, both within the healthcare setting and the community?

Through craniosacral therapy, Somatic Experiencing, acupressure, whatever modalities I could use

What role do you believe education and awareness play in supporting cancer patients and their families? Can you share any initiatives you were involved in?

Coming from an alternative healing perspective, cancer is believed to be an accumulation of toxins from chronic thought processes, emotional trauma and unhealthy eating habits. Finding a way to be happy would be helpful in the prevention and treatment with natural methods to cure cancer.

Have you encountered situations where cultural or social factors influenced the approach to cancer treatment or support? How did you navigate these challenges?

People who have the money seem to want to try allopathy and chemotherapy, while those without as much funds are willing to try alternative healing, and natural methods are more gentle on the body.

How did you collaborate with other healthcare professionals and support services to enhance the overall care and well-being of cancer patients?

I am yet to reach the level where I can collaborate with healthcare professionals to enhance the overall care and well-being of cancer patients.

Can you discuss any innovative or effective programs you were part of that aimed at improving the quality of life for cancer survivors or those currently undergoing treatment?

I was part of an organisation called NatureCure that has information about how to deal with cancer, and they have testimonials to show for their effectiveness.

Person who's worked with cancer patients #2

Mohana
Background: I worked as a play specialist at KKH, providing emotional support thru play modality for children and adolescent inpatients (with a wide range of health conditions). In my short stint at KKH, I had the opportunity to work with 2 patients with Cancer and subsequently a very close friend’s daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia. I supported her at the early stage of her cancer journey thru emotional support / play therapy.

How did your experiences with individuals who have faced cancer influence your perspective on health and illness?

It showed me that life can be fragile at times and that one can choose joy even in the hardest of their life circumstances. The resilience and fight of those whom I knew with cancer has been a grounding experience for me.

In your interactions with cancer patients, what kind of emotional challenges did you observe, and how did you address or support those affected?

There are definitely days when the physical pain and tiredness can bring the one’s spirit down. In such cases, I used distraction methods such as play activities, art to ease the worries / fears to some extent. Children’s natural language is play, so it worked as a wonderful way to distract and even empower them.

Can you share a specific instance where you had to provide emotional support to a cancer patient or their loved ones? What did you learn from that experience?

It was a 12-year old boy who had a brain tumour and had just completed his PSLE (extremely intelligent, despite multiple hospitalisations and surgeries in his young life). He had done well in his exams and was at his final stages of his life (hospice care). I only had 2-3 sessions with him but his mindset and intelligence (cognitively brilliant in the way he handled puzzles etc) just wowed me. It was very painful for me to know that he only had a matter of time but at the same time it showed me how well he had lived. I will never be able to forget that young man.

What resources or assistance did you find most beneficial for cancer patients during their treatment, and why?

I think Cancer foundation does a wonderful job providing emotional support. They have a dedicated play therapy unit that works with paediatric cancer patients. Wishing well also does a wonderful job. It is imperative that we try to normalise the experiences of the patient as much as possible and incorporate age-appropriate meaningful activities as everyone deserves a good life.

How do you think the societal perception of cancer has changed over the years, based on your interactions with patients and their families?

There is a lot more awareness and empathy. Thankfully medical advancements and care means better prognosis for cancer patients. Many are willing to lend a helping hand in the journey.

In your role, how did you contribute to creating a supportive environment for cancer patients, both within the healthcare setting and the community?

Just lend a listening ear as much as possible, esp for parents who are the caregivers.

I also customised an entire play resource kit for a child with leukaemia based on her interests and emotional needs.

What role do you believe education and awareness play in supporting cancer patients and their families? Can you share any initiatives you were involved in?

It helps in clearing misnorms and misinformation. It is understandable that it is a highly stressful time when a loved one is unwell, objective information can ease some worries.

I conducted small group play sessions with inpatients (not severe stage), which also gave some respite for parents to take a break.

Have you encountered situations where cultural or social factors influenced the approach to cancer treatment or support? How did you navigate these challenges?

There are many alternative treatments which endorse cancer recovery. Unfortunately, it may not be proven and thoroughly researched methods. People do tend to approach these methods in the hope that one gets better. However, there are also methods which can complement and lessen some pain (such as TCM). I always suggest that the doctor should be consulted in these cases as they are the primary healthcare professional.

How did you collaborate with other healthcare professionals and support services to enhance the overall care and well-being of cancer patients?

Checking in with the nurses on how the patient is feeling that day and tweaking the activities planned (if patient is very tired from treatment / medication, we will cater to the physical needs and lessen activity level).

Checking with doctor on progress / any emotional needs they have observed.

Checking with caregivers too on how patient has been

Can you discuss any innovative or effective programs you were part of that aimed at improving the quality of life for cancer survivors or those currently undergoing treatment?

I was not involved in these projects but was aware they were under works.

Bone marrow donors – educational videos

Videos for caregivers / esp siblings to help them understand what their sibling might be going thru via kid-friendly manner.

Discussion: Area of Focus that we want to tackle on

After going through different approach of research (interview) and knowing about what’s exist for other countries, we’ve decided to focuses more on the problem of:

Stigma of cancer patients
Lack of awareness
Get more volunteers

These are the current problem that we’ve encountered in Singapore, about how they sometimes feel to be mistreated (in society angle) and how sometimes hard to speak on to what they have going through.

Just the same as what happened in Denmark, Japan, and London, we also wanted to tackle on the early detection part of cancer, so that it will be more accessible and the disease have higher chance to be treated.

Feedback from Lecturer

Our Response

As we wanted to focus on the early detection and awareness, it is fueled by how not so much of young adults have the understanding of the chance of them getting cancer. Same as London, we may want to have further collaboration with local brands or other influencers that may help us to reach our target audience better
We should do more research about how the cancer patients actually feel regarding the friends and family’s action/ support
We should think more about the “job security” part
More research about gathering volunteerism with different approach

Reflection:

After the consultation and doing the research, it comes through us about how the importance of the empathy are very crucial before us having more approach to tackle the cancer patient’s pain points; as empathy is a crucial component of effective design because it allows designers to understand their target audience on a deeper level.

Other than that, for me personally, it was very hard to craft all of the information that we’ve gathered together, since it’s a lot and maybe a bit too much? As some of it may not be directly relevant on our approach. But, at the same time, we also need to gather different points of understanding about the cancer patients:(

Week 2.1

Discussion: What exactly are the pain points experienced by the Cancer Patients?

Research: Putting up our position as cancer patients

"What should we say to those who got cancer?"

"How do we comfort them?"

Key Takeaways:

When having a friends or family who got cancer, the response that one should give should not just to give encouragement by words, but rather through action!
Cancer patients still have the possibility of being cured, although that it may not be 100%, but the response or support for them may not necessary be as if they are going to die
Be more as a listener
Be there physically, to provide the support, rather than reminded them that it is "okay" for them to going through cancer
If really wanted to help, provide more action in assisting to everyday lives' activity such as home cleaning or finding care giver

Feedback from Lecturer

Our Response

We would craft our points on the reason why we choose young adult better, so that it would be easier for the audience to understand; Emphasize more on how they are the minority in the context of having the available service, as some people may think that it is not really an urgent matter to tackle (because of the smaller percentage of getting cancer for them)
We would craft our approach that involves 3 different roles- the patient, loved ones, and healthcare
We would tackle on the job part, need to be discussed more and need to have more touchpoint or craft it in a way that it could really lead them to have secure their job
Our current main focus is for tackling about the young adult’s part. But since we did not have(yet) better approach or way to tackle it, we keep on repeating about the awareness part~ We would further discuss about what we actually want our service to be based on the major pain points and area of opportunity
We should find more about the stories of young cancer patients- through internet/ even interacting rightaway with them
We should do comparison about their pain points, apart from the treatment. Is there any other external asepects that needed to be tackled
Is there any points where we can provide better service during the chemotherapy/ treatment process? (we should do more research)

Personal Reflection

We just realized that it may be really hard for us to completely understand their pain points/ existing problem that young adult cancer patients experienced throughout their journey since we just "generalized" them based on our three interviews. Thus, we should really do more research about what they are going through at the moment, probably from the internet.

Researching from diverse sources like YouTube videos and articles is crucial for understanding young adult cancer patients in Singapore. These platforms provide firsthand accounts, diverse perspectives, and real-life examples, offering insights into their challenges, experiences, and needs. YouTube's visual and audio representation and articles' up-to-date information and cultural insights provide a holistic understanding essential for designing effective interventions and support systems tailored to the unique context of young adult cancer patients in Singapore.:)

Week 2.2

Research: Case studies from the internet <young cancer patients>

From Youtube

Key takeaways:

“One of the most difficult part of cancer was not the cancer itself but life I was thrown into after”

Most difficult part of cancer was the after treatment/ after cancer. Throughout the treatment, one of the main goal is to survive, not to die… But not to live.
Chemotherapy and radiation had a long after effect, even when someone is looking normal, their body does not really listen to them
After the treatment of cancer, there are some activities that can’t be done due to weaken physics… There have even be a case for a woman to join a trampoline and few bones were broken
Due to a lot of times consumed in the treatment process, a lot of things are missing from their lives, including their identity
After treatment, most of them becoming more anxious about their body changes, experience anxiety
However, for some, they find different lifestyle that they are more inclined with- healthier ones, so that they can “live to the fullest” after all.

Key takeaways:

“She noted that she won’t be stubborn when it comes to wanting to give birth to a child anymore"

Encountered the cancer from an unusual bleeding and did not stop. Turns out that she had to removed her womb but rejected it and found another alternative way by just removing parts from her affected cervix
She was devastated when we was told to remove her entire womb, since she had her own dreams to create family and could not find anyone who can relate to her, since most of the patients there are older
She did not tell anyone about the diagnosis, and only tell once the surgery of the womb removal was confirmed
She did not find any point of telling to anyone, and was not comfortable when people gave her the “pitiful look”
Before having cancer, she was a workaholic that works for 7 days a week, and 4 jobs at once
1st relapse: she switched to healthier lifestyle and was not much surprise of the relapse….
2nd relapse: was mentally drained, thought that she would never fully recover
She then decided to travel more, but have to go back again to Singapore due to the weaken body and the cancer was killing all the good cells of her body

#1. From Article, those who don't have any kids/ their own family

Key takeaways:

“Dealing with the side effects from treatment was one of the toughest things I’ve experienced. Another was having to deal with the changes in appearance and body image”

Got diagnosed of an uncommon ovarian cancer called ovarian yolk sec tumor at 28, a cyst about the size of a soccer ball in the ovary on her right side
Her ovary needed to be removed, but she then freeze her egg and she lost self-confidence while still experiencing severe side effects due to the treatment
She was afraid to have the possibilities of not having children, but her priority was more towards saving her life, rather than becoming emotional and thinking about the future
One of the reason she still be positive throughout the treatment was due to the support of her friends and family
For cancer patients, they are more exposure to harmful toxins such as alcohol and smoking
Fertility problems and premature menopause are possible issues that can develop as a direct result from treatment or as a late side effect of cancer

#2. From Article, those who don't have any kids/ their own family

Key takeaways:

“I Think not having much of social life, compared with my friends who were starting new jobs and traveling, made me feel fomo”

Diagnosed with stage 2 of Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer that starts in white blood cells
Young adults are more likely to be diagnosed with certain cancer, rare types of cancer that arises in the bone and soft tissues such as muscles, blood vessels, and nerves
Majority of the cases of young adult cancer happened due to family history
Some of missdiagnosed happened, and it really affect the grow of the cancer, how sever it is, or even the stage:(
Physical changes affected his mental health severely, dating was challenging and she often felt self-conscious when socializing with friends
There were several financial schemes that help her fund the treatment
For her case, healthcare social workers really helped her to make treatment decision and gave her peace of mind while battling cancer
Different cancer treatment may permanently affect cancer survivor’s chances of conceiving later on
She had troubled in finding employment, was rejected by various companies due to their concerns about her medical history, and since she’s a fresh graduate

#3. From Article, those who don't have any kids/ their own family

Key takeaways:

Seeing people eat good food when he had to be fed through a nano-gastric tube for a few months due to treatment is very torturous

Used to have work that requires individuals to be physically prepared for 8-9 hours
Have a lot of physical constrain due to the side effect of cancer, even losing their ability to stand up alone, walking properly, or even eating properly
Need to have a lot of exercise, outpatient care, to adjust to his past “normal” lives

#4. From Article, those who don't have any kids/ their own family

Key takeaways:

“At the start, I couldn’t go out and spend time with m friends and not playing basketball court or go out for meals with friends…. so for a good period of time, I felt a bit more isolated”

Diagnosed with stage 3 sarcoma cancer at 22, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that affects bone and soft tissues
He was in denial about his diagnosis, since he kept a healthy lifestyle by doing basketball regularly, going to gym
I was warded for chemotherapy and that was when it finally sank in that I had cancer, and that I had to go through treatment to get rid of it
Young patients often demonstrate a “strong” determination and will to fight and live
Most of the young adult cancer patients are willing to go through treatment, whatever it takes so that the cancer will be gone
Returning to normalcy or trying to restart careers after treatment could be challenging, as patients might feel like they are always feeling fatigued and that it may impact their day at work past “normal” lives

#5. From Instagram, those who don't have any kids/ their own family

Research: Coming to Chemotherapy, is there anything we can do?

As one of the key takeaways from our research is that patient often find that they spend most of their time at the treatment centre, while the centre itself are very limited to have some interaction within other cancer patients (due to the space or the people who are tend to be older), we want to re-design the chemotherapy room/ chair

Here are some of the picture of the current space:

Patients are divided and separated from one another, by curtains or just random blocks, while they will have the chance to just mind their own business and play with their laptop/ iPad for the long iv drip hours

Facts about chemotherapy:

Key Takeaways:

While doing chemotherapy, there might be some action or activities going on during that can engage towards the emotional support for the patients- it can be formed of asking for the involvement of their loved ones throughout the process
It is possible for us to provide space/ facilities for them to do chemo, while doing side hustle/ provide income during their treatment so that they can be more productive
We could work together with local brands or company to provide certain “short-time” job opportunities for the patients

Discussion: Comparison in between ages of those who got cancer

Other than focusing on the treatment space, we were also trying to re-think again our reason on why we choose young adults as our target audiences at the first place. Which is why we identified further about the available, existing service between Children, young adults, and elderly

Key Takeaways:

There are currently increasing number of cancer patients for young adults in Singapore, but there was no relevant support / specific community group for them
Not so much of screening available for them, as well as financial saving to fund the treatment
While doing their treatment, since most of the other patients are tend to be older than them, they sometimes feel isolated during the long hours
A lot of inner pressure coming, including feeling of FOMO, job securities, and expectation towards life that may be paused for a while due to cancer
YACP have the responsibilities to still juggling between their career and treatment
More self-concsious about physical change, alongside with higher chance of getting relapse

We also talked about some different pain points that they may encountered, from emotional, physical, and their social aspect

Key Takeaways:

While the cancer then bring a lot of physical changes, YACP are more affected on their emotional part, such as fear of relapse and the lost of identity to continue their life on doing what they used to love to do
YACP encountered difficulties on continuing and directing their life after treatment, as well as coping with the grief of the life that they could have had
Financial burden that need to be taken care of, alongside with the job security

Research: Patient Journey

For our service, we want to focus on providing support during their treatment process, as well as the after treatment.

Here, we identified thoroughly of YACP’s cancer journey, started from even the diagnosing process and after her treatment; so that we can understand their need better, identifying the key touchpoint where they can encounter difficulties or where there are opportunities for improvement, align some possible stakeholders, and improving their journey on battling cancer.

We put on the ! Symbol as a mark for our opportunities/ part where our services can come in.

Screenshot 2024-01-30 at 12.15.16 AM.jpeg

Personal Reflection

We has not exactly thought about our ways of approach or any solutions yet. I was quite stress at this stage, but I'm very grateful to be in a part of the group with these girls.... I was having a hard time and a bit overwhelmed to really comprehend about the healthcare, facts about cancer, and keep on going throughout the process of researching while we're still in the first few weeks.

I was actually a bit worried for our next approach, anxious that we may not get to finish the project because of london, or that it would be very "too much" for us at the very end, since all 5 of us are very diligent throughout the process, pointing at each points that we gathered that is working or not working.

It may be very best for some design to gather a lot of research, but when is bombarded with too much information, it could be very much overwhelming and even for us, we need to take a step back to really gather our thoughts and thoroughly discuss the same/ input different information so that the service that we provide is best to tackle our persona's pain points.

Week 3.1

Research: Draft Presentation

Research: SCS' Struggle

Key takeaways:

We want to seek more opportunities based on the pain points that SCS faced currently, and most of it are circling towards funding and donation.
Since for cancer patients themselves, money is a problem to pay fully for the treatment, and of course, as a cancer organization SCS will be there to provide some financial assistance. However, at the same time, if the money goes towards the patients all the time, there would be very little other services that SCS can provide to conduct more actions or activity catering to preventing the cancer to happen or to relapse
Lack of volunteerism due to its publication and public awareness that did not reach more audience
Other than SCS, we were thinking about using the counter of SCS to be a part of the chemotherapy place, so that we can also apply for new invention of activities that the patient can do throughout the treatment, so that they can still do more “productive” activities, be best if it can produce money

Research: More Interview

Rainer is a cancer survivor. He got diagnosed when he as 30, he's a current influencer who encourages young adults who battle cancer, as well as part of the SCS Team

Key takeaways:

Fatherhood Concerns: Chemotherapy's impact on sperm count heightened worries about future fertility, impacting both the individual and potential partners. Financial strain exacerbated concerns, as lack of critical illness coverage intensified stress about affording future family planning options.

Financial Strain: Absence of critical illness insurance coverage led to significant out-of-pocket expenses, straining finances and adding to the burden of medical costs. Job insecurity due to lack of coverage heightened anxieties about financial stability during and after treatment.

Treatment Challenges: Chemotherapy brought physical discomfort, including nausea and insomnia, while also exacerbating mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Juggling treatment and work responsibilities intensified the mental toll, making it difficult to maintain well-being.

Social Support: Support from friends and family played a crucial role in providing comfort and strength during treatment. Genuine empathy and tangible gestures of support helped alleviate feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Healthcare Experience: The physical and emotional challenges of chemotherapy treatment were compounded by restrictions on visitation and limited social interaction in the hospital environment, exacerbating feelings of vulnerability.

Post-Treatment Reflections: Prioritizing mental and physical health post-cancer became essential, with regular check-ups and lifestyle changes aimed at promoting overall well-being and reducing the risk of recurrence.

Advocacy and Awareness: Engaging with organizations like the Singapore Cancer Society, the individual advocated for cancer awareness and support, sharing their story to debunk myths and stigma surrounding the disease.

Personal Growth and Resilience: Drawing on faith, family, and friendship, the individual discovered inner strength and resilience, finding purpose in supporting others facing similar challenges and embodying the transformative power of community.

Class Activity: Presentation

Lecture's Feedback

Contextualize within society: Consider the broader societal context when evaluating feedback and designing interventions for young adult cancer patients in Singapore.
Engage stakeholders: Collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including hospitals, cancer patients, and organizations like the Singapore Cancer Society (SCS), to amplify awareness and support.
Utilize multimedia for engagement: Enhance engagement by incorporating multimedia elements such as pictures and videos to complement text-based information.
Promote awareness and early intervention: Highlight the importance of raising awareness about young patients' journeys and the need for early detection and support.
Develop diverse personas: Create diverse personas, including both male and female representations, to ensure inclusivity in design considerations.
Educate beyond cancer patients: Explore ways to educate not only cancer patients but also their friends and the broader community about the challenges and needs of young cancer patients.
Innovate and diversify solutions: Generate a variety of creative solutions, avoiding predictability and striving for novel approaches that resonate with the target audience.

Peer's Feedback

This scenario echoes the premise of "The Red Band Society," where teenagers find support in a hospital ward. Introducing a similar concept through an NGO-hospital partnership could involve cancer survivors visiting wards, offering hope and connection to young patients. Such initiatives could provide crucial support and inspiration for those undergoing treatment.
One of our friends have a friend/ family who got cancer and is willing to share more information about it<3

Our Response

Discussion: How can we improve cancer patient's lives better?

Key takeaways:

We would provide a service related with the space, chemotherapy space where they can engage in different activities, not just for work
We would provide more chances for the opportunity of getting employed and financially stable after the treatment of cancer
We would like to offer a platform for the patients to connect with the family and friends throughout their treatment process, maybe a way to link for them to have the access on the next treatment/ understand the patient’s current emotions and feelings through it
To connect the current cancer patients together with the other, so that they won’t feel alone throughout their journey on battling cancer

Lecture's Feedback

Explore diverse solutions to avoid predictability and offer fresh perspectives.
Increase interaction with the target audience to gather valuable feedback and insights.
Maintain an element of suspense to keep engagement high and capture attention.
Consider brainstorming unconventional ideas and then refining them for practicality.
Explore the information aspect to understand the full scope of well-known NGOs and potential opportunities for collaboration and support.

Personal Reflection

Despite not having a diploma or have a lot of experiences in the creative industry, I've always felt included and valued when working with my peers, both in collaborative projects and in this class. I'll miss the opportunity to continue learning from them when this project/ semester ended:(

The image above captures a moment of learning as I was taught into Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator with the guidance of my friends from this one cancer group. These shared experiences would be one of my core memories of learning in shaping my skills and fostering my passion for creativity in the future.

Reflecting on these collaborative efforts, I'm grateful for the friendships forged and the lessons that I’ve learned. The support and encouragement of my peers in this class, the interaction, have been constant sources of inspiration for our group also, driving us to push the boundaries of service design for cancer.

Week 3.2

This was the picture taken when we were out having dinner after class <and later on still having further discussion until night>. The one behind the love sticker was me! I can assure you that it is me, but I was having a face break out due to stress so I sensored it hehehe.

Reflection:
It's almost a week for us to go to London for the International Placement. Thins were a bit heightened up and the pressure is on to us, because we felt that during this time, we have not really came up with a "legitimate" solution that can be best deliver the problem that SCS faced/ any cancer patient faced. Even so, there came also some doubts on whether we would still be as passionate on doing this project after we came to London (since we only had about a month to set up all the assessment deliverables).

Even so, we believe that by getting closer (in friendship), would really help us in the long run to "digest" this project better. Also, taken from our lesson from previous projects, it is better for designers to "stop" for a while, not thinking about the project and just let our mind and creativity be "floating" for a while. So, maybe it is good that we would have a "pause" in London to learn from other countries as well.

Thus, for the past 3 weeks, I'm still grateful and satisfied with these 5 combinations of talented, designers coming from different background. There is nothing that I would change/ complain throughout the process of our research, and I believe that even till the day of our submission, our spirit and passion will remain the same.

Week 4.1

Research: "Latest" Singapore Cancer Society's Publication

For creating more awareness about cancer, SCS integrating a lot of campaign poster related to the one cancer and their root of cancers. They are also available in different languages: Chinese, Hindi, Malay, and English, which is to support the diversity in Singapore. But where do they paste the poster? No information stated.

Growth of SCS in 2022, 2021, and 2020

Key takeaways:

In 2020, the Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) experienced steady growth, focusing on expanding its reach and impact despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization adapted its programs and services to comply with health regulations while continuing to provide essential support to cancer patients and survivors. SCS likely prioritized digital outreach and virtual events to maintain connections with its community during periods of social distancing.

By 2021, the SCS likely saw significant growth in its online presence and engagement as it continued to navigate the ongoing pandemic. The organization may have intensified its efforts to raise awareness about cancer prevention, early detection, and support services through various digital platforms and social media channels. Additionally, SCS may have expanded its programs to address the evolving needs of cancer patients and survivors in the changing healthcare landscape.

in 2022, the Singapore Cancer Society likely experienced continued growth and innovation as it adapted to the new normal post-pandemic. The organization may have implemented new initiatives to address emerging challenges in cancer care and support, leveraging technology and data-driven approaches to enhance its impact. SCS may have also strengthened partnerships with healthcare providers, government agencies, and community organizations to broaden its reach and effectiveness in serving those affected by cancer.

Kampung Admiralty

One of our friends encountered a Kampung Admirality activity, and found SCS as one of the participants.

Kampung Admiralty is a pioneering mixed-use development in Singapore that integrates housing for seniors with a range of amenities and facilities aimed at fostering intergenerational interaction and community bonding. However, as you can see, even the participants are not mostly elderly, and the queues for SCS is not that long.....

Even though that this event was taken place at the centre of this city, there are not so much participants (it was around noon also). So, maybe some of their publication effort or any other effort to reach more audiences are not really effective...

Class Activity: Presentation

Lecture's Feedback

Address mental health alongside physical health: Recognize the importance of supporting mental well-being alongside physical health for young adult cancer patients.
Choose battles wisely: Prioritize the most impactful challenges to address, focusing efforts where they can make the most difference.
Provide genuine sympathy and support: Offer sincere empathy and meaningful support tailored to the individual needs of young adult cancer patients.
Conduct nuanced research for targeted solutions: Gather detailed insights to identify specific challenges and opportunities for effective interventions.
Tailor treatment to individual needs: Recognize that each patient may require different types of support, and consider personalized approaches rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.
Plan for later stages of the illness: Anticipate the evolving needs of patients as they progress through their cancer journey, including end-of-life care considerations.
Engage young survivors in sharing experiences: Empower survivors to share their stories and insights, providing valuable support and inspiration to others facing similar challenges.
Involve the community in support efforts: Harness the power of community involvement to provide practical assistance and emotional support to young adult cancer patients and their families.

Reflection:
We should be aware of what is happening and probably when we present it gives a lot of positive vibes? it may sounded as very much insensitive since some people who have relatives that affected by cancer.

For me personally, I was a bit anxious that after coming from London, I would not have the same "fire" or drive to still continuing this project, just like how we started. To be honest, as cancer was such a heavy topic even for me, one who never have any relatives affected by cancer, it was very draining to continue it up until to this point. Since there are a lot of data, a lot of ideation that us, as a designer can actually offer, but are then not applicable to be done in real life due to the financial restrain/ different culture.

I hope that after coming from London, we could gain more information or inspiration through other existing design even though that is not related with cancer at all:)

Week 13.1

Dusting Every Information and Insights that we gathered during London

British Health Foundation (BHF)

Cancer Research UK

When I was on the bus on my ride home, I encountered this one "store" named as British Heart Foundation.

It is a renowned charity organization dedicated to fighting heart and circulatory diseases.

Inside their store, they will sell different objects such as clothes, dvd, books, or even postcard of London. BHF is located at around of place in UK and what they sell and their price range are different from one place to another, depending on the target market on the area.

With the money that they gathered from the store, they tend use it as a fund for research of cardiovascular globally, clinical trials, and population studies; for prevention and awareness about heart health, and innovation and treatment.

Other than the stores, They also organize fundraising events, such as sponsored walks, runs, and challenges, to engage the public and raise funds for heart research and support services.

Other similar store as BHF but for Cancer, there is one named as Cancer Research UK.

For this store, it is also similar to BHF, about what they sell, are all different based on the target market around the area. For example, there was one store located at Marylebone, which is the "somerset" area of London, and the brand that they sell there includes Vivienne Westwood, Burberry, or even Gucci. But for the one that I visited at Richmond, the product that they sell are not from the luxury brand but rather local boutique.

Cancer Research UK plays a vital role in the global fight against cancer, driving progress through research, advocacy, and support services aimed at improving outcomes for cancer patients and reducing the burden of cancer worldwide.

News about King Charles and Princess Kate Middleton.....

When in London, we were very surprised by the news of King Charles, who just got crowned as their king and Kate Middleton the be diagnosed as cancer… It is as though that Cancer is now becoming a “trend” for people, all people, let alone whether you are “rich” or not.

There are no specific reason or explanation on how the two of them got cancer nor the kind of cancer that they have since their lives are private.

Cancer Support in London- Donation

When in London, in several pubs that I visited, they purposefully include and write on one of their menus about donation for cancer patients.

One of it includes donation through buying treat for dogs, which is a pet that most local have- to compel them to buy one:) (in oxford)

This could be an inspiration for us, if we want to incorporate donation for SCS

Cancer Support In UK- Maggie's

While in Scotland, one of our friends encountered a centre dedicated only for cancer patients.

Key Takeaways of their offer/ service:

They aim to provide a warm and welcoming environment where people affected by cancer could access support and information in a non-clinical setting.
Architecture and design: Maggie's Centres are known for their innovative and uplifting architectural design, often featuring natural light, open spaces, and gardens. The architecture is intended to create a peaceful and calming environment that promotes well-being and healing.
Each Maggie's Centre offers a range of support services tailored to the needs of individuals affected by cancer.
Healthcare: employ a team of qualified professionals, including cancer support specialists, psychologists, nurses, and volunteers, who provide expert guidance and support to visitors. These professionals work collaboratively to address the physical, emotional, and practical challenges of living with cancer.
Services: Counseling services (one on one counseling sessions_, group support sessions, complementary therapies such as yoga and massage, educational events, and workshops on topics related to cancer care and survivorship

Lecturer's Feedback

Targeting young adults as our persona is convincing enough, as we already identified and gathered proven data that they are the minority of being represented amongst the existing cancer care
If we want to target the “broader” audience for young adults is also fine, but need to identify it from different perspectives than what we’ve had before
Overall We should solidify first on the target audience, because if not we’ll be lost or stuck in the process. The next step would be us identifying their pain points, and how do we proposed specifically to them
“How do we help youths dealing with cancer battle their biggest hurdle?”
Singapore has a very different culture than UK, and it must be taken into consideration when doing case studies.

Our Response

At first, we were unsure about our target audience (Young adults), and considered to expand it to all ages of cancer. But after having the feedback from the lecturers, we now even sure that we would continue to targeting Young Adults, since they are the minor age group who have existing support from the NGO, or even the government; even though that they have the most "complex" background or experience throughout their cancer journey.

Our initial approach was to create similar “cancer research uk" to Singapore. When there are some of retail/ thrift for donation to fund the SCS. But we should have aware also that it may not be working here, due to the different culture
But, we’ll most likely continue to build a different centre for the young adults, to support them while battling the treatment.

Key Takeaways of our discussion:

We then identify again from our previous opportunity for the patients and sis, so that it can be a starter point for us to continue building the service
We would still continue to connect the patients’ schedule with their family
Based on our previous interview, it is one of our persona’s pain point to “struggle with the long hours of chemotherapy”. So, we will include some features or activities throughout their treatment, maybe one that can connect them with other patients
Introducing collaboration with the family/ other cancer patients through food that is suitable for cancer patient
Providing platform for the cancer patients to be able to access some existing company who will accept people who got cancer (just like iBL nafa)

Reflection:

During our time in London, our group unfortunately didn't have the opportunity to discuss our project together. However, each of us remained committed to our shared project, even though we were busy due to our individual project at UAL. This conscious effort to keep the project at the top of our minds really help us to gather valuable insights and information, particularly from being in a different city, and even a whole country like the UK.

However, we remained forgot about the fact that not all strategies or ideas that resonated in the UK would necessarily translate seamlessly to the context of Singapore. Factors such as cultural differences and unique lifestyle considerations must be carefully weighed when considering the applicability of certain approaches for our project. While we gained valuable knowledge from our time in London, we also recognized the importance of critically evaluating and contextualizing this information within the specific parameters of our project in Singapore. This reflective approach ensures that our project remains grounded in the realities and of our local context.

Week 13. 2

Research: Rehabilitation Centre

In a rehabilitation center, individuals undergo various therapies and interventions aimed at restoring or improving their physical, mental, and emotional well-being after experiencing illness, injury, or surgery. These therapies may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, counseling, and vocational rehabilitation, among others. The overarching goal is to help individuals regain independence, functionality, and quality of life.

Applying principles from a rehabilitation center to a cancer center can be highly beneficial for cancer patients undergoing treatment and recovery. For example:

Providing support group to provide assistance and motivation
Work- life/ return to work programme
Community reintegration for continuing active lifestyle
Professional support for family members, and caregiver
Providing therapy/ consultation for the emotional or physical pain
Comprehensive diet and nutritional support with classes and consultation

Discussion: Gathering our thoughts, again

Our main point: Current YACP (young adult cancer patient) are more focuses on earning money, having the workforce <as it’s a universal experience>

Key Takeaways of our discussion, is that for our service we will have:

Donation: through thrifting (clothes), curated or vintage, which could be a better way to gather more funds since of the consumerism culture of fashion

During treatment: Give the patients to have side hustle by becoming a personal shopper, a screen that will allow them to interact with other cancer patients on the treatment (like in flight key in seat number)

Provide nutrition plan: Provide cooking class for cancer patients and public, where each person is paired with a cancer patient to cook together so that it help people to get used to interact with cancer patients. This could give us opportunity to create a cafe for cancer

Provide emotional support: App for patient to communicate what they are experiencing to friends and family, Space for cancer patients and friends to hang out at, App for anonymous advice from other cancer patients

Financial support: Work with employers to provide support, financial planner

Research and Discussion: More ideation- maybe more abstract and be more into what's suitable for young adults?

Key Takeaways of our discussion, is that for our service we will have:

Why Young Adults in Singapore are Into Cafes:

Cafes provide a trendy and cozy environment for socializing, studying, or relaxing for the youth
Cafes offer a wide range of food and beverage options, including specialty coffee and Instagram-worthy dishes
Cafes often feature unique and aesthetically pleasing decor, making them ideal spots for social media posts and gatherings
Many cafes host events, such as live music performances or workshops, to attract customers and create a sense of community

Importance of Integrating Connection within a Cafe for Treating Cancer Patients:

Cancer patients often experience isolation and loneliness during their treatment journey
A cafe that integrates connection within its space can provide a supportive and welcoming environment for cancer patients to socialize and relaxation
Connecting with others who understand their experiences can help cancer patients feel less alone and more supported in their journey
Social interaction and emotional support have been shown to improve mental well-being and quality of life for cancer patients

Opportunities for the Cafe's Features:

Design the cafe layout to include cozy seating areas conducive to conversation and relaxation
Offer a designated "Connection Corner" where cancer patients and survivors can meet, share experiences, and support each other
Host regular support group meetings, workshops, or activities specifically tailored to the needs and interests of cancer patients
Provide informational resources about cancer support services, local support groups, and wellness activities
Collaborate with healthcare professionals to offer educational sessions or seminars on cancer-related topics
Offer healthy and nourishing food and beverage options to support the nutritional needs of cancer patients
Can Incorporate elements of nature, such as indoor plants or a garden terrace, to create a calming and rejuvenating environment for the decoration inside the cafe

By integrating connection within the cafe space, cancer patients can find a supportive community, enhance their emotional well-being, and feel empowered in their cancer journey.

Further discussion also includes on how we could better feature our cafe:

Provide hair salon to promote the well being
Can involve pet inside of the cafe<3
“Wrong orders” such as buttermilk chicken, but then be given healthy nutritious food
Provide wide range of the food
Shared kitchen for the cancer patients and other young adults
Provide community or gathering space for friends and family on the cafe
Provide support group/ events there

How it would benefit the patient and SCS

Patients: could be a source of income since they could be the chef, the server; more connection with other young adults, ease into work force
scs: heightening the awareness of cancer throughout young adults, increase volunteerism

Lecturer's Feedback

Ambitious idea to provide separate centre.
If emotional support is the initial stage, what are our understanding about the emotional support for young patients? is it about earning the money, learn new things, or the fomo part?
How do we create the centre to be more daily and not just one time-event? Maybe can adopted to what general publics are into nowadays (for example: merch/ app like pokemon-go)
How do we bring out the right opportunity to develop our project?
If the time is the issue, how do we make good use of the time management (during treatment)?
Problem statement need to be able to define the broader picture and specific problem
We need to identify the root of our problem specifically, then we can understand the context, filter through all the informations

Our Response:

We need to find info more, the data of the current state of young adults, including the mental health surveys/ paper to rationale our ideation better; what is the deep thing that affects the cancer patient’s mental state
Provide more convincing idea on why only youths will use our platform/ service
We need to identify some unique emotional needs, final support
Understanding the root problem/ causes on how those emotional pain happened
We would provide “hybrid” services- have one physical centre and other object/ merch/ app to support it

More Research~ Why do we want to tackle on the emotional part of YACP?

Key Takeaways:

Psychological Distress Factors in Young Adult Population:

Associated with smoking, low physical activity, and low fruit/vegetable intake
Constant fear of disease recurrence and need for self-identity development contribute to harmful health behaviors like smoking

Demographic Factors Affecting mental health:

Age, gender, type of cancer, type of treatment (chemo/radio), relationship status, economic status, intensity of exercise, time since diagnosis, and predisposition to mental disorders
Increased likelihood of depression (57%), anxiety (29%), and psychotic disorders (56%)

Coping strategies:

Importance of both individual and group coping strategies, balancing socializing and personal time.

Family Support:

Physical or emotional presence, assistance with daily tasks, fostering independence, advocacy for patient's needs, and maintaining a positive attitude

Friend Support:

Physical presence, consistent communication, providing positive distractions, fostering normalcy, and sending words of encouragement.

Unhelpful Approaches:

Being treated differently post-diagnosis, negative reactions around diagnosis, and searching for information on the Internet without tailored guidance.

Mental Health Trends:

Worst within 1 year post-diagnosis, increases slightly between 1-4 years, then gradually declines after 10 years.

Based on these key takeaways, we then decided to move on to focuses more on the emotional part, since it is also one of the severe pain points that Young Adult Cancer Patient encounter throughout their cancer journey.

Week 14.1

Discussion: On Monday, we were gathering our thoughts about our vision, area to focus on, and Problem Statement

Based on our previous consultation, we all agree that something is missing in our direction, and that is the identifying of the root causes on why at the first place young adult cancer patients feel certain ways.

First, we identify their pain points onto 3 different section, which is emotional, financial, physical (fertility issue, lost of hair) and general struggle of them

We then gathered several points on some of their emotional impact, since we can not do much about the physical impact nor taking directly on the financial anxiety. For the emotional impact, which causes depression, we branch out deeper on the reason why they feel depressed:

After identifying on the why (feeling of isolated, different reaction from loved ones, dealing with the physical pain, lagging behind life, anxiety of work), we then try to positioned ourselves on their shoes, and got the conclusion that some of the 3 different sections may be related, but are based on these root problems:

Feel of not belong
Fear of changes in expectations and purpose of life
Sudden change of life
Lost control of their life
Physical exhaustion
Uncertain of the future
Time

We then discuss further and choose only 3 pain points, which are the feeling of isolation, lagging behind life, and their anxiety about going to work. Then ended up focusing on their root pain points, which are:

Don’t feel like belong
Lost their freedom of choice
Uncertainty of the future
Usage of time

Discussing our opportunities, target audience

Other than discussing the YACP’s pain points, we also talked about the target audience that we want to include on our touchpoint and identify more of our opportunities.

Our main goal, of course to targeting our patient, and we choose only 2 from the root pain points, which are the lose sense of belonging and having sense of control onto the patient’s life.

Here's our opportunity that we want to tackle more:

Throughout the discussion of the problem statement and identifying the opportunity, we realize that through service design, our roles are more likely to be visible and effective to meet their needs if we tackle on providing sense of belonging amongst them; rather than the providing sense of control.

Discussing about what we can offer (merch ideas)

Our next step was then to identify on the object/ deliverables that we would want to propose to meet their needs.

First, it was a separate merch/ device inspired by tamagotchi.

Key features of it:

Representation of the patients, that in the inside will have a “pet” to keep, which will be reflected as the user
Show the full information of the patient’s health condition
The device will be linked to the patient’s friends and family (up to 5) so that it can show the patient’s current condition, as well as how they feel at the moment
With this device, it also connects to the other cancer patients, where they can also engage and interact with one another, sending love, message and support

By having this device, it is expected for the young adults to still feel a part of the community, just as their friends, as currently there have been a trend of collec

Second, we talked about providing a space

Key features on it:

Youth centric building
Provide space for them to improve their physical well being by spa/ restaurant (for nutrition)
Themed chemo rooms that can simulate other countries (tbc), so that YACP can experience the same traveling as their friends
Arcade, bar, for yacp to hangout while having chemotherapy

Lecture's Feedback

Different stages of cancer treatment evoke varying emotional concerns, with terminal stages often focusing on end-of-life considerations and social interactions taking different forms throughout the journey
The concept of "belonging" for cancer patients is complex, as they may feel disconnected from their larger community due to treatment, leading to a sense of loss of self-identity
Negative self-identity can be fueled by factors such as envy, consuming negative information, and feeling unproductive or isolated during treatment
Solutions should align with the reality of the patient's situation, avoiding false hope while maximizing the present experience through positive reframing and meaningful engagement
Proposed ideas include creating an alternate reality experience, such as a virtual travel journey or a simulated bucket list, to foster connection, togetherness, and a sense of accomplishment among young adult cancer patients without speculating on the future

Our Response

To support the emotional and psychological needs of cancer patients, extensive research is necessary to understand the prevalence of distress during treatment and its impact
This data can shed light on why and how many patients experience emotional challenges, helping to address their current negativity and ease their burden

We were panic

We realized that timing is very tight for us to finish all of our assignment together. Since we also have Design Futures submission that also pressures us. Some of our "usual" timing for discussion to keep on our track on the timing also can not be done. Our priorities as per day can be different because of the different tasks and responsibilities that we have after coming from London. Thus, we decided to divide our responsibilities on which research or "homework" that needs to be done and be discussed when we meet later on.

"Homework"

From our previous discussion and feedback from our lecturer, we then realized that we should really think about how we can still connect friends/ family to our persona even when they are at home. The main point is, for them to still be "normal" or be able to do things just as their peers even though that they have cancer. It's not a matter of us giving them hope.. But more about easing their pain/ emotional effect that happened because of the cancer.

How do we connect the cancer patients with their loved ones when they are together/ what can be done to engage some interaction or activities that give meaning or normalcy while still having cancer? in a context of with/ without physically there for one another

I was thinking about how I usually spend my time with my friends. About what kind of activity or games or anything that connect us together and here they are:

Do creative project together (building lego/ artifacts)
Talking about our struggles at school
Planning about our next trip or our next place to do our school assignments together
Watching movies
Clothes swapping/ playing dress up
Cooking, as we realized that we could be connected through food
Going to Club
Visiting random or places and buy something that catches our eyes

Thus, based on all these activities, I was also trying to put my position on what I usually do without my friends:

Actually do Video calling/ texting to catch up our days
Buying them gifts based on “what they would wear” or “What they would like”
Playing online games together

*this was just some of my thought process to gain more understanding and figuring out how two people or group of friends can still be connected when they are not physically together.”

The next one, connecting it with the context of cancer patients.

When they are together, they can:

Do creative project that gains continuation
Planning about the next chemotherapy look with your friends, but it’s actually the friends who do:
“if I were you, I know that you would like to decorate it this way….”

This could be related to what kind of features that we want to offer on the space of chemo, focusing on the meaningful gesture of getting visual/ getting anything from your friends, just as how when people would think about their friends when they are not together

Creating vision board about the alternatives of the next life?
Time capsule muse

When they are not together, connecting with friends can be in a form of:

Cooking. Basically, you’ll cook for your friends
Treat it as a pen pal, writing letters for one another

For our services:

After chemo, the cancer patients are connected with their friends and family, and they will be notified when the YACP (Young Adult Cancer Patients) want to have some time alone to give them space due to the uncomfortable feeling of puking/ emotional space
3 mystery cooking from your friends
Decorating your next chemo space from your friends' imagination of YACP+ their clothes
A social media that is amongst the YACP, but the YACP can only invite up to 20 friends *inspired by locket widget* to ahave the access of the social media. This social media, would have their own "task delegation" by providing templates/ feature on several daily activities, such as eating/ decorating the book of cancer/ whatsoever. If they finished it, they will get streaks.

Discussion: HOW DO WE BRING NORMALCY?

Based on the “homework” we then discussed further about how can we bring normalcy towards the YACP. Throughout the process, we were imagining ourselves in a position of COVID 19, where logically, since it’s a universal experience in the world, we never really feel fomo/ left behind/ not belong. Maybe, if we put in the direction of creating the “new normal” for cancer patients while adjusting their usual regular life, it would be better for them.

Re-think again the customer journey

At the end of the discussion, we thought about how do we create other alternatives for them to make friends, socializing, or having the same life with the rest YACP who never got cancer, by using our service of the in-clinic and after clinic, by identifying again our customer journey:

Problem statement~

The problem that we encountered during this process, is that we realize that some of it a bit sounded very much regular on what the current service provided (as in just go to the treatment and go home after). So, we then re-focus our discussion again and decide our problem statement, so that we can provide better service or angle on the next stage

Discussion: What we're going to offer

Lecturer's Feedback

Explore pessimism and its impact on young adult cancer patients (YACP), considering their views on life and potential feelings of spiraling negativity
Identify strategies to steer pessimism among YACP, focusing on aspirations such as travel and exploration to widen social circles and experiences
Tap into leisure as a key aspect for reframing the YACP experience, introducing activities to help alleviate anxiety and promote personal well-being during treatment
Consider co-creation or enablement approaches, allowing YACP to have agency in designing their treatment environment and engaging in activities of their choice
Explore innovative ideas such as themed rooms or virtual experiences to inject fun and thrill into the treatment process, normalizing conversations with friends and family through various forms of communication
Examine the financial implications of promoting leisure activities for personal well-being, rationalizing their impact on overall financial well-being and potentially empowering YACP to feel more capable of earning income
Ensure that activities are considerate of the physical limitations of YACP, offering a balance of engagement and rest throughout the treatment process, and leveraging opportunities for interaction during conscious moments of treatment

Week 14.2

Our Response

Key takeaways:

We will provide our service not just in the clinic but also out of clinic, just the same as what we’ve discussed before by having our own separate device
Our goal here is to reframe the young adult cancer patient’s experiences in a new light. The problem that we encountered is that YACP want to participate in leisure activities but are currently unable to do so due to their long hours of treatment, and we’re here to provide more alternatives so that they could at least experience the similar activities, as well as channeling their negative emotions in their treatment
For our in clinic service, we would like to: integrate the space for them to have their travel experience, moving chair, community among the youth, and themed/game place during their treatment
For our out of clinic: bring out the connectivity among the YACP outside of the treatment, as well as connectivity among the family and friends to the emotions and condition of the YACP

More Research about integrating with space

Key takeaways:

Aquafiled Goyang Korean Bathhouse in Seoul

Traditional Korean Bathhouse Experience: Offers "jjimjilbang" with sauna rooms, hot tubs, and communal relaxation areas.
Health and Wellness Benefits: Believed to provide stress relief, improved circulation, and detoxification.
Cultural Immersion: Allows for experiencing Korean bathing customs and traditions firsthand.
Social Interaction and Support: Provides opportunities for socializing and support from fellow visitors.
Physical and Emotional Relaxation: Offers a serene environment for relaxation and stress reduction.

Relating to Cancer Centers:

Wellness Programs: Incorporate elements into wellness programs for complementary therapies/ even just during the chemotherapy
Supportive Care Services: Extend holistic care to address patients' physical, emotional, and cultural needs
Community Building: Organize group outings to facilitate peer support and camaraderie
Stress Reduction: Offer relaxation activities to help manage emotional challenges during treatment

Key takeaways:

Ab Rogers Design prioritizes functionality, aesthetics, and user experience in cancer center architecture
Their approach focuses on creating inviting and functional spaces that promote healing and support patients
drMM's design for Maggie's Oldham exemplifies a holistic approach to cancer care
The design incorporates natural elements, abundant light, and serene surroundings to create a calming and uplifting atmosphere
Both firms emphasize the importance of thoughtful and innovative architecture in cancer center design, their designs prioritize the emotional and psychological well-being of patients and their families, fostering healing and hope.

More Research about Leisure

Key takeaways:

Stress Reduction: Leisure activities offer young adults a chance to relax and unwind, reducing stress levels and promoting mental well-being

Physical Health: Engaging in leisure pursuits encourages physical activity, contributing to better cardiovascular fitness, strength, and flexibility

Mental Health: Leisure activities boost mood, alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, and enhance overall psychological well-being

Social Connections: Participating in leisure activities facilitates social interaction, fostering a sense of belonging and community among young adults

Personal Growth: Leisure pursuits allow for exploration of new interests, development of skills, and pursuit of personal passions, promoting self-discovery and growth

Coping Mechanism: Leisure serves as a healthy outlet for managing stress, expressing emotions, and maintaining resilience in the face of challenges

More Research about Wellbeing, cancer, and mental health

Key takeaways:

Well-being significantly influences the physical improvement of cancer treatment, and leisure activities play a crucial role in maintaining well-being during treatment
Engaging in leisure pursuits such as exercise and relaxation techniques can alleviate treatment-related symptoms; Regular physical activity boosts energy levels, alleviates treatment side effects, and improves immune function
Leisure activities promoting relaxation, such as mindfulness meditation, help manage treatment-related stress and anxiety
Participating in leisure fosters a sense of normalcy and enjoyment amidst the challenges of treatment
Prioritizing well-being through leisure complements cancer treatment efforts, leading to improved physical outcomes and a better treatment experience

More features for the wristband?

Key point in discussion:

Other than using toy, we thought about using different wearables/ device that user will most likely wear on daily lives: wristband
Our idea of the wristband, would be connected through an app where they can interact directly with one another YACP
With this wristband, YACP can just add more friends by bumping it and "adding" it

Week 15

Presentation Prep

We were trying to create visualization of our discussion about the many layers of YACP’s emotional pain points, and putting out the root out of it

For the solution, currently we were just having 2 kind of services that we will offer.

Our SMART chemo chairs offer patients the flexibility to undergo their treatment anywhere within the centre. Equipped with built-in IV stands and wheels, patients are no longer restricted to a fixed corner of a room. They can use the joystick to take control of the chair.

In the space, patients have the opportunity to experience leisure while undergoing treatment.

If patients’ are not up for it, they can always seek some peace and quiet and get treatment done in the individual pods.

We have redesigned the typical chemo treatment rooms to incorporate immersive experiences. In these rooms, patients get to experience different interactive and sensory activities like virtual travel simulations and various games.

The main hall is used to host larger scale activities that patients can engage in together, fostering a sense of community.

We understand that patients miss out on social activities due to long treatment hours. Now with our private rooms and lounge area, they can invite friends and family to the facility and spend time together while undergoing treatment.

To keep the treatment journey as smooth and convenient as possible, we implemented a wristband system throughout the facility.

With this wristband, patients have access to the different rooms in the facilities, spark connections with new friends by bumping wrists with other patients, and make purchases at the health bar. Additionally, nurses can monitor patients through live location tracking ensuring treatment is proceeding as planned.

The wristband's functionality is integrated with our mobile application, where patients can manage their schedule for treatment, book private facilities, and keep in contact with new friends made in the facility.

Peer's and Lecturer's Feedback

Key point in discussion:

Discuss various types of chemotherapy treatments and their effects on patients, including intravenous (IV) drip chemotherapy
Address the impact of cancer treatment on patients with children, ensuring inclusivity and sensitivity in communication
Highlight touchpoints in the treatment process, focusing on mental well-being, social interaction, and personal support
Emphasize the experiential aspect of treatment, considering the daily challenges and emotional responses of patients
Explore the concept of invincibility among young adults and its relevance to their perspective on life
Avoid treating solutions as novelties; instead, integrate them into daily routines to enhance effectiveness
Develop a comprehensive user journey to guide the design of holistic services
Ensure that solutions address various aspects of well-being, including social, mental, and physical needs
Transform the treatment environment into a vibrant and supportive space to counteract feelings of gloominess

Personal Reflection

We were kind of getting to the point of ideation of our solution just an hour before our presentation was due~ We even did not manage to eat first for lunch, as we were very much rushing to capture all ideas that we had in mind.

For me personally, it was quite thrilling and draining for our stomach:p, but very much memorable to be reminded and encountered another “designer panic” for this semester.

*Designer panic" refers to the phenomenon where designers often generate ideas more quickly and creatively when working under tight deadlines or pressure. This heightened state of urgency prompts rapid ideation and problem-solving, leading to innovative solutions despite limited time. The pressure to produce results efficiently helps eliminate overthinking and perfectionism, allowing designers to think more freely and spontaneously, ultimately enhancing creativity and productivity.

Which, really, the designer panic, when it hits the 5 of us, we suddenly be thinking really fast and a lot of random thoughts came in. For example, upon thinking about the kind of different negative emotions that can be transformed, the “room” that we offered can be inspired by one of the movie of Barbie, particularly Princess Charm School where there was a game involved in order to complete a mission.

For my future endeavor, of course it would not be as healthy to think about an ideation at the very end of the deadline. For my first year project, I applied the similar method, but improvising it by creating my schedule to be as packed as possible (ofc to improve my other assignment, not to just make myself tired), then putting the timeline as though there was no time anymore to complete the task. So, I would probably apply the same method also for my future project, in order to still develop the ideation that I have, or even do some user testing in the middle of it to maximize the outcome.

Our Response for the feedback

The same day as the presentation, there was a nafa care gift package going on, where NAFA will provide several products to boost their student well-being. This include food, hair dye, and hair care.

Upon receiving the care package, in the middle of this “stress week”, we could see a lot of smiles reflected on the student’s faces. And we’re then got inspired to apply this similar ideation for our service, where:

We engage/ collaborate with shopee to allow some of their users to “buy” some package that will be donated for cancer patients
The gift that our YACP received will not be happened consistently per month/ per week, but is randomize; to keep the surprise effect
For every YACP, they could choose and made their own “wishlist” on our app, and it will be linked to the shopee’s back end; where they would generate each package that is suitable for our users
After receiving the gifts, the YACP then could give feedback also on the products, so that we could maintain their satisfaction or preference for the future gift

"summary" of our service:

Key Takeaways:

Throughout this discussion, we also identified which one would affect our user’s social’ interaction, support their emotional (feeling), mental (perception), physical, and happiness (well-being)
We would have our own “health Bar”, to provide different range of nutritious food that our YACP can eat after/ during their chemo treatment. Our idea is that the YACP could also save the recipe and the nutrition included on the meal
All of their engagement with the activities/ interaction with the people inside of our centre then could be accessed on the app, and be linked towards the wristband after they made the bump
To engage the connection within the YACP and also friends and family, they are allowed to bring them to hang out during their chemo schedule but must book first on our app

The different of each immersive and interactive space:

To response on the previous feedback, we then specifically separate the several immersive space based on the negative emotions that the YACP felt, and transferring it to different kind of activities that will “produce” different deliverables/ digital artwork.

Our ideation of providing different immersive rooms are inspired by the movie "inside out", Disney

Lecturer's feedback

Allow individuals to choose specific themed rooms based on their emotions, packaging sub-themes together while maintaining autonomy.
Ensure coherence and relevance in the selection of elements within each room to resonate with cancer patients' experiences.
Design an onboarding experience resembling a journey, starting with a landing point, exploring different rooms for socializing or individual experiences, and concluding at a health bar before reentering reality.
Focus on specific leisure aspects in each room, such as group activities for social engagement (e.g., Goofy Island) and individual spaces for emotional well-being (e.g., Crying Room).
Empower the user journey by offering opportunities for both individual and collective experiences, reflecting the diverse needs and preferences of cancer patients.
Align activities with the context of chemotherapy treatment, ensuring relevance and meaningful engagement throughout the leisure program.
Structure the program to transition from collective leisure activities to individual experiences before returning to reality, creating a cohesive and impactful journey for cancer patients.

What is our overall concept? maybe "the Midst"?

The first ideation of the concept was to name our centre as “the midst”. Our idea: In the middle of fighting cancer, we’re here to provide alternative way for leisure, remimagining cancer”

For the branding of the midst, it would be very much colorful and vibrant, to reflect the spirit of the youth. We will also design the space in a sense where the chemotherapy chair is similar to different transportation (for example: the seat of SIA), as if the chair is the enablement for this world

final concept: LIGHTHOUSE

We then also try to think about other concept that is suitable for us, since we thought that using the “midst” are very vague, and don’t really have deeper meaning and relation for our service.

Introducing: Lighthouse…..

Key Takeaways:

Lighthouse symbolize protection and a safe haven, providing reassurance and security representing a beacon of hope and protection. However, for our context, we will not really much integrating the “hope” aspect of lighthouse, since we don’t want to provide any uncertain possibilities of the YACP’ future

Our main goal at Lighthouse is to provide strength and guidance throughout the cancer treatment and journey
It’s as if the YACP is the “sailor” , and our service is the beacon in the stormy (cancer) seas
In the centre, we will provide lights, where the YACP can follow
Lighthouse centre could be the meeting point of YACP, in their cancer journey; where they can engage more with other YACP, strengthening the bond with their loved ones throughout their treatment, and provide the sense of belonging as part of the community from the Lighthouse
Leisure comes in terms of enjoyment and relaxation in Lighthouse. (enjoyment= activities and social interaction, relaxation= individual pods), and leisure plays big part to response for personal well-being

<updated> What we're going to do

Key Takeaways:

We are dropping the idea of involving the gift from Shopee, because after we thought further about it, it is as though that it is a great feature but just jumped out of the blue, does not really have its purpose that will contribute much to our service
We will keep the different kind of immersive space to channel the YACP’s negative emotions, which then contributes to their personal well-being

Sketches for the Centre

Since we're going to offer a space as our main deliverables, here are the sketches for our space.

It complies onto map where the very first landing point/ onboarding area is the reception, where the cancer patient will be given the wristband and the chemotherapy chair. On the front part of the area/ the "lobby" later will also been built a lounge area where the family and friends can stay. Since the centre is specifically built for the YACP +wristband, the main hall and other immersive rooms will only be accessible for them, and no family or friends can come in.

We purposely designed our space in a flow where it started from the "onboarding", giving them the freedom to participate in activities with family and friends/ joining volunteer's talk, then experiencing different immersive room

or chilling at the main hall with the other YACP. At the almost end, they will pass through the individual pods where they can “recharge” their energy, then eat at the health bar after the long hours chemo.

However, the main point of this centre is also to give freedom for the YACP to do several activities while having the chemotherapy treatment.

Wristband

Just like what we’ve discussed before, to complete the whole journey, our service will also be equipped with wristband. And this is the overall look of the wristband- where it will be worn by them during the chemotherapy treatment, and play as their “access id” band to access the different room of the centre and identification to save some memories on the centre through the app.

Personal Reflection

Throughout this week, we were often juggling our studio work with our other assignment, which is design future.

For me personally, the amount of time that I spent during the two projects are equal, but it was very tiring for me to keep on continuing two ongoing project at the same time, with the very tight schedule. There were many times when our time of group discussion for studio and futures are crashing together, and I believe that this is not an experience that our group has. Because of this, sometimes the discussion may be interrupted/ becoming even slower since the overall members are not complete.

It was very hard. Not just about the time management, but to still keep on the spirit of continuation of the project that in total already been on going for more than 2 months. To be honest, it was very much draining for me:) If it is not because of the great members that I have for both groups, I would seriously be burnt out and would not even continue this CPJ until this point.

Week 16

Branding

For the branding, the color that we used are very vibrant, but not too bright until the point where it gives impression of "hope".

Smart Chair- Beamie

Designing for chemotherapy chair was very complex- since it should not look too much of a "wheelchair", but also give the sense of logic on how it will move on the centre.

Some draft were made, we came up with the final design of it with a built in joy-stick that can be sticked on either left or right side of the chair, depend on the user. The wheel for this chair will be hidden on the side of it, and this smart chair will have its own "leg rest"

Wristband + interface

Interface when the YACP registered their treatment upon the reception of the centre

Interface when the YACP bumped their wristband to other patients, automatically added as “buddies” on their app

Interface when they took picture on the photo stand, at the main hall

Interface when the YACP save the recipe for the food that they ate at the health bar, to be saved and accessed later on the app

App interface

This is the interface of the "treatment" features on our app. Here, the YACP can have access on their upcoming IV drip chemo, knowing the timing, how long, what type, and providing planning for the future's chemo and volunteer's talk that they want to be part in.

Other than that, this is where the online consultation with their assigned nurse comes in

Each of the YACP is assigned with one nurse care, who they can contact at anytime to ask/ consult about their current state of emotional/ physical side effects due to the chemotherapy

This is the buddies page, where the app will provide the text message for the YACP to contact each other, and receives their notification.

The notification includes: the added to new friends after they bumped the wristband, Reminder of the postcards/ deliverables from the immersive room at the centre, and notification of saved recipe

In “buddies”, each of patients can send each other messages. We purposely provide this feature also for them to still have the connection with one another even outside of our Lighthouse centre

This is the “memories” page, where the YACP can access their past artwork/ moments throughout the Lighthouse centre. On this page, they could also access the past recipes that they saved at the health bar

reminder of your next chemo treatment.png

Upon the next chemotherapy, YACP will be reminded about their next treatment, with details of the timing

Interview with one YACP, as our persona

Key Takeaways:

Feeling isolated after cancer: Throughout her journey, she never really felt isolated from her friends and family. But rather just after, because all of her friends then built their own friend groups/ talking about some activities that happened when she was not able to be there
Traveling after cancer: She is now traveling to many many places as a response to cancer, where she feels like exploring the world is one of the experiences that she wanted to have on her life
Healthcare professionals: During her treatment, there was a nurse assigned for her, and it was really helpful as some of the sudden changes of her symptoms usually occurred not during the treatment at the hospital.
When she was going through treatment, there was not much of people her age, but her friends and family still support her throughout the process
Spaces during chemotherapy: While doing chemotherapy, she usually just played her phone and watch movies, created video as vlogs, and nothing much other physical activities.

Personal Reflection

Even at there was almost no time for us to change our direction for this project, we find that it is still important for us to do "user testing"; by telling people who are similar to our persona and find more about their input of our service.

And through this short interview, it really helped us to craft and completed our service together. It is shown by how we added the new feature of the app, where we would allow our user to have access on contacting the healthcare professionals when they are not at the hospital.

Other than that, this interview also help us to gain more inputs on how we should present our service during presentation, on how some people may not really up to have a lot of interactions, which is why we have our individual pods at the end...

Customer Journey

For stating in details about our service, we created a user journey where the patient, our persona named Priscilla to be having the chemotherapy for 5 days. This, is to heighten how our deliverables will create more touchpoints and even for the persona to always encounter new feature in our centre, to prevent the novelty issues in Lighthouse.

Presentation

The centre- by our Spatial Queen: Vilyn

Reception Area

To start the onboarding process in the facility, patients start their journey with BEAMIE, a mobile SMART chair that allows them to undergo treatment anywhere in the facility. Along with BEAMIE, each patient receives a wristband that's integrated with various functions around the facility.

Private Room/ Volunteer

Lounge Area

With dedicated rooms for support group activities, we increase awareness and visibility of this source of support for patients. LIGHTHOUSE serves as a central hub for survivors and patients to connect, host activities and conduct meetings.

We understand that patients miss out on social activities due to long treatment hours. Now with our lounge area, they can invite friends and family to the facility and spend time together while undergoing treatment.

Main Hall + Health Bar+ Standing pic

We have the main hall where patients can hang out after their treatment, that can be used to host larger scale activities for the community. It also boasts a health bar where patients can learn about the nutritional benefits of the meal they’re having and use their wristbands to save recipes for future reference.

Our immersive rooms

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LIGHTHOUSE has transformed the typical treatment space into immersive experiences.

BEAMIE will take patients to different lands allowing them to enjoy alternative forms of

leisure while receiving treatment.

Land of.... energy

inspired by the stress of patients' hectic lives, allows them to pedal away stress and make music. Research supports the stress-relieving benefits of exercise and music, boosting endorphins. Patients leave with their self-produced track, a result of their pedalling efforts.

Land of.... togetherness

building from the isolation they face, is the Land of Togetherness. Patients can engage in fun team activities that allow them to connect with other young adult cancer patients. Replays and highlights from their games can be recorded and saved.

Land of.... voices

From the concept of frustration, our second room, The Land of Voices allows patients to release emotions by screaming or singing, creating art from soundwaves. Collaborating with others, they craft larger, impressive art pieces.

Land of.... wanderers

Since they are unable to travel like their peers, we have The Land of Wanderers, developed from the concept of envy. Patients experience virtual travel to various destinations through guided driving simulations, where they explore different countries, learn about landmarks and attractions, and receive a digital postcard from each city.

Land of Solace- Individual Pod

Each patient deals with their diagnosis and treatment differently. Therefore, if they’re not up for these activities, they can head to The Land of Solace, where we have individual rest pods.

A1 Board

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