A message of hope: creation of the Faces of Lung Cancer project for increasing awareness of clinical trials.

In 2002, the Thoracic Oncology Advocacy Program at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute was created with a mission to contribute to the prevention and cure of lung cancer by embracing the patient perspective. In an effort to increase awareness of clinical trials (CTs) and to humanize the CT process, members of the advocacy programme were involved in the creation of the Faces of Lung Cancer project. Twelve lung cancer patients who participated in a CT, four caregivers of patients who had been on a trial and four thoracic health care professionals were interviewed and photographed by a professional photographer with prior experience in photo-documentary work. Preliminary results indicate just the process of participating in the Faces of Lung Cancer project and creating the photo essay has had a positive impact on the lives of cancer patients and their caregivers. Formal evaluation of the Faces of Lung Cancer project is underway; however, preliminary results indicate that the project is viewed as successful in terms of conveying a message of hope and increasing awareness. By including visual displays, in conjunction with patient interviews, the photo essay is able to generate and blend powerful information and images that provide a richer, more complete portrayal of the context of a patient's experience.