Chronic illness - and the pain it often brings - affects millions globally. But while women are more likely to experience chronic pain, they’re less likely to receive adequate treatment. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two women who have transformed their experiences with pain and chronic illness into powerful creative expression.

Polly Crosby is a British author living with cystic fibrosis. Feeling invisible in the stories she grew up reading, she was inspired to write The Vulpine, a young adult novel deeply rooted in her personal experiences: the protagonist’s condition closely reflects Polly’s own. Polly is dedicated to portraying characters with disabilities and chronic conditions authentically, without invoking pity or hero-worship.

Lavi Picu is a Romanian-Canadian interdisciplinary artist and Lyme disease advocate. She uses painting, drawing, and poetry as therapeutic tools to manage her condition while raising awareness for chronic illness. Lavi's art acts as a visual aid to, in her words, "make the invisible visible".

Produced by Emily Naylor

Image: (L) Polly Crosby credit Archant. (R) Lavi Picu courtesy of Lavi Picu.)