Portsmouth Comic Con: QA Hospital consultant 'delighted' to showcase diabetes comic he helped create to support young people with the disease
QA consultant to showcase diabetes comic book he helped create at Portsmouth Comic-Con
Alongside the Star Wars, Jurassic Park and Ghostbuster features at Comic Con this weekend, a Portsmouth doctor will be showcasing a diabetes comic created to help young people with the disease.
Dr Partha Kar, a consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, helped create Type 1, a comic book series that uses superhero-themed storytelling to explain key aspects of diabetes, from diagnosis to modern technologies such as insulin pumps.
He will be at Portsmouth Guildhall with publishers Revolve Comics and co-collaborators from University Hospital Southampton and DiaFight on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3.
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The books aim to support children and families living with type 1 diabetes, which can be very challenging. It was a chance for Dr Kar, alongside fellow clinician Dr Mayank Patel, to provide emotional support and social understanding outside of the clinical care they provide.
Dr Kar said: “It’s been wonderful working with a close friend and colleague Dr Mayank Patel to help co-create these comic books using popular culture to improve awareness of type 1 diabetes as well as a variety of other pertaining topics.
“We are delighted to have also been given the opportunity to showcase this at the local Pompey Comic Con which is an annual event in the local calendar.”
Six issues of Type 1 have been published and are available to read online via revolvecomics.com.
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A Revolve spokesperson said: “Different people respond to being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in different ways – some like to talk it through, with others preferring to read books and leaflets to learn more.
“Inspired by the legend that is Stan Lee and how he engaged so many young people with his creative allegories that would explore many issues in a fun way, this comic book series provides a means of spreading the type 1 diabetes message by using art.
“It is our hope that these stories will inform and educate anyone who reads them. For those readers who are newly-diagnosed, they will hopefully feel more empowered to look after themselves if not already. It is possible to live a long, healthy life with type 1 diabetes.”
The stand at Portsmouth Comic Con will allow attendees to meet the team behind the comics as well as learn more about type 1 diabetes and the support available locally.
More details on Comic Con can be found at https://portsmouthcomiccon.com/