Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) or “broken heart syndrome” is a rare condition that is
more common in women than men, particularly those who are postmenopausal. It mimics a
myocardial infarction and psychological factors have been implicated in its etiology as
well as being consequences of its presentation. As part of a public engagement project we
brought together 8 women (of 12 invited) previously diagnosed with TCM to facilitate a
discussion, through participation in a creative workshop-based process, about their
illness experience, how they made sense of it, and the meaning it had for them in their
lives, and to identify areas of unmet need. Through a range of creative activities we
identified that participants had high levels of unmet need in terms of information and
psychosocial support. All participants enjoyed the creative process and meeting other
people with a diagnosis of TCM. The workshop overall was perceived as empowering.
Exploring patient narratives during artist-facilitated workshops is one approach for
providing the first steps to addressing unmet need, although the importance of ensuring
psychological safety cannot be over-stated.