Bubble Wrap and Other Remedies

From bubble wrap to dragon fire, popcorn to petals, these poems offer honest, surprising and inspiring reflections on living with persistent pain.

Bubble Wrap and Other Remedies is a poetry exhibition sharing the experiences and voices of people living with persistent pain. The works were created by patients in the P.A.C.E. (Pain + Activity + Coping + Education) program at Gold Coast Health’s Interdisciplinary Persistent Pain Centre (IPOC), as part of a Poet-in-Residence initiative delivered in partnership with Everybody NOW!, the Gold Coast Health Creative Health Hub and IPPC.

Facilitated by poet Angela Peita, the sessions combined play, humour and creative writing to support emotional expression and self-reflection. As Creative Health Hub program leads, it was deeply rewarding to witness this work come to life – seeing patients move from hesitation to joy, connection and surprising insight. One patient shared, “I didn’t think I could do it, but once I started, I couldn’t  stop.”

Now, their words are printed and with care, transformed into visual works that honour each patient-turned-poet’s unique experience. We are especially excited to see the reactions of the patients as they encounter their work in this context, and to share these powerful expressions with the broader Gold Coast community.

Pain may be persistent, but so is creativity.

Read the poems below.

Laura Strange & Maddie Collins

Creative Health Hub Program Leads

Interaction Designer – Zoe Ryan, QUT Design Lab