Exams Under Anaesthesia (EUA) Graphics — Equity and Neurodiversity in the Operating Room
This project recruited 9 cartoonists to produce short comics based on interviews with parents of neurodivergent children who undergo Exams Under Anaesthesia (EUA). EUA are procedures where sedation is used to facilitate necessary medical interventions, but the process can be very traumatic. Youth who undergo such procedures may struggle to communicate verbally, and the current medical systems seem ill-equipped to respond to the differing needs of them and their family.
“This is My Son” (2024) by J Dalton, p. 1.
Co-led by UBC Comics Studies Cluster Director, Dr. Elizabeth “Biz” Nijdam, in collaboration with community-based pediatrician Dr. Anamaria Richardson, EUA Graphics focuses on the often challenging and complex interactions that neurodiverse children, including those with autism, intellectual impairments, and limited verbal capacity, face within medical settings. Specifically, it addresses their experiences with Exams Under Anesthesia (EUA) at BC Children’s Hospital. These procedures, necessary for children with complex behavioral needs, can be traumatic for children, families, and clinicians alike. The EUA process involves using sedation to facilitate necessary medical interventions that might otherwise be extremely difficult.
Applications for the project started in September 2023 and the nine artists were selected selection. Each artist was tasked with creating a short comic of 8-12 pages, drawing from interviews with parents of neurodiverse children. These narratives aim to shed light on the nuanced and often underrepresented experiences of these families, moving beyond traditional academic research methods to make these stories accessible and relatable to a broader audience.
In Fall 2023, the artists participated in a one-day workshop at BC Children’s Hospital, ongoing conversations with parents, Dr. Richardson, Dr. Nijdam, and keynote speaker Rebecca “Bex” Burgess, a UK-based freelance comic artist and illustrator living. In November, the artists completed a review session with Rebecca Burgess, where they received feedback on their in-progress drafts and received clarity on their doubts and questions, and the final comics were submitted in 2024.
On Friday, May 17th, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) hosted an exhibition of graphic artwork illustrating the experiences of neurodivergent children and their families as they face challenges in accessing medical services.
EUA Graphics not only seeks to increase awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by neurodiverse children in healthcare but also aims to foster empathy and informed practices among healthcare professionals and the general public.
As this project progresses, the UBC Comics Studies Cluster and Dr. Anamaria Richardson anticipate that this project will open new pathways for about the power of comics to intervene in discourses in the medical sciences and healthcare system.
For more information, please contact Dr. Biz Nijdam, biz.nijdam@ubc.ca.
Project News
Biz Nijdam and the UBC Comics Studies Cluster Table at Rain City Comic Con!
On Saturday, May 24th, 2025, Biz Nijdam of the UBC Comics Studies Cluster tabled at Rain City Comic Con, Vancouver’s newest comics event. In addition to handing out stickers and connecting with local cartoonists and comics fans, Nijdam distributed comics from the EUA Graphics collection to help widen the project’s reach and began recruiting for […]
EUA Graphics Project Featured on Holland Bloorview Hospital Blog!
The EUA Graphics Project has been featured on Bloom, the blog for the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. The article examines the content and form of “Sammy” by Elsbeth Dodson, one of the eight comics produced as part of this collaboration between the UBC Comics Studies Cluster and Dr. Anamaria Richardson from BC Children’s Hospital. […]
UBC Comics Studies Cluster and EUA Graphics featured in UBC Faculty of Arts Editorial
Last month, the UBC Comics Studies Cluster was featured in a Faculty of Arts editorial piece on comics in educational contexts. Entitled “Education through comics: Exploring the pedagogical value of comic art,” the article was based on interviews with CSC Director Biz Nijdam and other UBC scholars working on and with comics and graphic narrative. […]
Recap: Grand Rounds Exhibition of EUA Graphics by Setareh Setayesh
On Friday, May 17th, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) hosted an exhibition of graphic artwork illustrating the experiences of neurodivergent children and their families as they face challenges in accessing medical services. The artwork is part of a collaborative project between Paediatrician Dr. Anamaria Richardson and UBC Comics Studies Cluster Director Dr. […]
EUA Graphics Online Comics Exhibition: Now Live!
The innovative project “Exams Under Anaesthesia (EUA) Graphics: Equity and Neurodiversity in the Operating Room” has officially launched its online exhibition. Hosted by the UBC Comics Studies Cluster, this exhibition is available for viewing at comics.arts.ubc.ca/eua-graphics. This initiative, led by Dr. Elizabeth Nijdam and community-based pediatrician Dr. Anamaria Richardson, features the work of cartoonists who […]
EUA Graphics: Comic Art & Grand Rounds Exhibition
Join us in celebrating the artwork created for the “EUA Graphics” Project at the BC Children’s Hospital! BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH), Chan Education Centre May 17th, 2024, 12-1 PM “Exams Under Anaesthesia (EUA) Graphics: Equity and Neurodiversity in the Operating Room” is a collaboration between Pediatrician Dr. Anamaria Richardson and UBC Comics Studies Cluster Director […]