Medium of Comics
+
Discourse of Healthcare
=
Graphic
Medicine
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO
Presented in July, 2024 at
on a panel about comics for medical communication
“Annika Mengwall has spent her high school years volunteering in her local Emergency Medical Service, driving ambulances and providing critical patient care as an EMT. She also teaches lifesaving techniques as a Basic Life Support Instructor for the American Heart Association.
Off duty, she creates interdisciplinary artwork – currently developing a comic promoting bystander CPR which she presented at the 2023 Graphic Medicine conference in Toronto.
She will be a first-year at Yale University this fall, where she plans to study art and prepare for medical school. In this episode of the Graphic Medicine Podcast she talks with GMIC board member Alex Thomas about her work.”
Featured interview on the
Graphic Medicine Podcast
Using Comics to Promote the HPV Vaccine
For Pediatric Otolaryngologists
In the past 10-15 years, the incidence of HPV oropharyngeal cancer (which occurs in your throat) has surpassed HPV cervical cancer. These physicians were doing research on the vaccine. However, most people don’t expect to talk about STIs when they go visit their Ear, Nose and Throat specialist…
I created a folded handout and poster for them to simplify the discussion and improve patient communication. Now the physicians are researching its efficacy in improving HPV vaccination rates.
Using Comics to Promote layresponder CPR
I am actively in the process of authoring and illustrating a 14-page “floppy comic” for mass distribution, with the intention of inspiring more confidence to act in cardiac arrest emergencies — across the general population.
Here’s how it goes
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I saw a problem
People were not responding in CPR class, nor were they acting in the field — and patients were dying.
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I saw a solution
People were responding to my art; and an especially large number of people were responding to my cartoons.
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I honed my craft
Threw all my knowledge about realistic drawing out the window, and figured out how to cartoon and write comics.
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I started working
… and I keep having to restart! It has been a trial-and-error system as I navigate the process on my own.
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I promoted my idea
I've presented at different conferences; and shared my work on various platforms; making helpful connections with pros.
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I am carrying on
I’m collecting feedback on my pencils, and continuing to work on getting it published, and to follow that up with research on it.
Meet the main character.
and here’s a
SNEAK PEEK!
* Click images to enlarge *
Accepted to present at the
Graphic Medicine International Conference
July, 2023 | Toronto
Watch the video of my 5 minute presentation titled “Comics Creating Courage,” which summarizes my Graphic Medicine experience and my in-progress project promoting bystander CPR. Scroll down to see my hand-drawn slides!
