East Sussex College Art student takes the lead on Medi Tech Trust design project

East Sussex College Art student Ella Hearsey creates a winning illustration for Medi Tech Trust charity.

Ella, 18, from Seaford, studies Foundation Art, specialising in Illustration, at the Eastbourne campus. The talented student submitted an illustration to Willingdon based charity, Medi Tech Trust, and will now have her work displayed in hospitals and surgeries in the UK and overseas.

“Medi Tech approached us with the brief to illustrate a poster to help make life safer for African theatre staff by donating de-commissioned lead gowns, used during the X-ray process,”  says Ella. “It was a great experience. Medi Tech were very specific about what they wanted, so it was pretty straightforward too.”

Here in the UK, all theatre staff wear lead gowns whenever X-rays are taken. In Africa, there is only one gown in each theatre so surgeons and nurses stand in a line when X-rays are taken to reduce radiation. The person in front is the only one in a protective gown. Ella’s illustration depicted this, highlighting the problem at a glance in a humorous but memorable manner.

Bob Lewis, Chief Executive of Medi Tech Trust, says, “We needed a quick visual that told the story, and something that stood out, so Ella is a star for us. We wanted students to show the nakedness, which is really the vulnerability of the X-rays, but we also needed to be very sensitive in the approach as it’s going to be seen by different faiths and various cultures. Ella has got it exactly right.”

Bob went on to tell the art students, “Medi Tech Trust is only a small charity but there are many other charities out there so it’s worth bearing in mind that it’s a fantastic opportunity to get your work showcased. We can now share Ella’s work on a national and international platform. For instance, I was recently at a conference in Barcelona with surgeons attending from around the world, including Australia.”

Mike Shepherd, lecturer in Art & Design, adds, “This has been a fantastic experience for Ella. This is about our students being able to use their talent to support something that’s incredibly important and give a little something back.”