Dr Astrid Joutseno/Swan

Dr Astrid Joutseno/Swan is a Researcher in the Finnish Research Council Project ‘Counter-Narratives of Cancer: Shaping Narrative Agency’ (2023–2027), University of Turku; and Visiting Scholar, Oxford Centre for Life-Writing, University of Oxford (2024–2025). Her current research centres grief of the dying and grief as it relates to cancer and life-writing. Astrid Swan is an award-winning songwriter and performer. She has published seven albums, one memoir and a novel during her 20-year career. Since 2014, Joutseno/Swan has lived with breast cancer. This experience has informed both her research and creative practice.

Image credit: Silvi Traina