Northern Ireland

Co Antrim woman using her video skills to help others chart their health battles

Laura Crozier (23) from north Belfast
Laura Crozier (23) from north Belfast Laura Crozier (23) from north Belfast

A CO Antrim woman is using her video and photography skills to help others document their health battles.

Photographer Laura Crozier (23) from north Belfast said she wanted to share stories and experiences to help others "recognise that they aren't alone in whatever it is they are going through".

Recently she edited a video of members of the Cancer Fund for Children's Care Free Choir as they belted out their own virtual version of a Bill Withers classic.

The children and families impacted by cancer came together remotely to perform the song Lean on Me as a reminder that "they are all in this together".

She has also been recording the cancer battle of west Belfast woman Mia Mackin. The lifestyle blogger (23) has been charting her own battle with Hodgkin lymphoma and thyroid cancer online.

Ms Crozier said she reached out to Mia in the hope they could work together to document health issues people face - including mental health battles.

"I set up my freelance video and photography business, Lens of Lu Cro last year," she said.

"I love connecting with and working with all kinds of people.

"Usually I find out a bit about a person and write about them on my Instagram when I post their pictures.

"That’s kind of how the focus on mental health evolved - I wanted to share stories and experiences from, for lack of a better term, ordinary people - people we might walk past on the street or with whom we would think we have nothing in common.

"Then people might recognise that they aren’t alone in whatever it is they are going through. I wanted my work to focus on mental health as I have dealt with trauma myself.

"I have got help in the past for issues I've faced and I wanted to refocus my energy on helping other people who were going through their own battles."

Ms Crozier said she wanted her work to be "a platform open to all kinds of conversation and experience, a safe space for people to share, relate connect with others".

The two women met and discussed making a documentary about Ms Mackin's battle.

"I wanted to cover her journey with cancer as well as the effect on her mental health," she said.

"Part of the filming allowed me to accompany Mia to her chemotherapy sessions, which was a serious eye-opener for me, it was very intense.

"I have also done a series of interviews with Mia and she also gave us permission to see her getting her getting her cut off."

While filming on Ms Mackin's health battle is still ongoing, the young woman has received the good news that she is now in remission.

"Mia's attitude is fantastic, her story is very interesting," she said.

"I hope people will be able to draw on what she has gone through to help them through their own issues."