Short film highlighting chronic pain aims to encourage more research participants
Researchers at Keele have teamed up with people who live with chronic pain to shine a spotlight on their experiences and encourage others to take part in health research.
The short film “Your Voice Matters” was created by Mark Agathangelou, Samina Begum, and Claire Toussaint, who all live with chronic pain, and it has been released to mark Pain Awareness Month.
Working alongside researchers at Keele University and a filmmaker specialising in amplifying unheard voices, they created the film to not only share their own voices and experiences of living with chronic pain, but also their roles taking part in health research, and encourage others in similar positions to do the same.
Chronic pain refers to pain which lasts three months or longer. It affects millions of people in the UK, and the film shows what it is like to live with this long-lasting pain, as well as the importance of connection and community, and the difference people with lived experience can make by getting involved with research.
The film has been designed not only to be informative, but accessible and inspiring, highlighting not only why it’s so important for people with lived experience to get involved in research, and also the real impact they can have. Making the film inclusive was a key a particularly important goal, ensuring that people living with chronic pain could take part and be heard, rather than excluded by the challenges their pain can create.
The idea for Your Voice Matters came from Mark, Samina and Claire, after hearing from people in their communities that they wanted a film to show the reality of living with pain and what goes on behind the scenes of public involvement in research.
Samina Begum, patient partner and co-producer on the film, said: "For me, pain is not just physical — it affects every part of life. Being part of co-producing these films gave me and others in my community a voice, helping shape the stories and highlight what really matters. I felt heard, valued, and like our work could make a real difference for people living with pain.”
Dr Sarah Harrisson, Clinical Lecturer in Pain Sciences at Keele, who co-produced the film with people with lived experience of chronic pain, added: “The film shows the reality of living with chronic pain — the isolation, and the value of connection and meaningful activity. We hope it helps people with pain feel less alone, and see the enormous contribution they can make, including to research.”
The film was funded by the NIHR School of Primary Care Research and a Primary Care Centre Versus Arthritis Impact Award to Keele University and can be viewed on YouTube.
