Our new blog is with award winning cartoonist Tony Husband, who has been using his
artistic skills and personal experience of dementia to connect to carers and those living with
this life changing disease.
by Claire Madge
To begin our conversation I asked Tony how he got started drawing cartoons.
“I wanted to go to art college but my Dad wouldn’t let me, he told me I had to get a ‘proper
job’. I’d been in advertising, a window dresser and a jeweller but my ambition was to be a
cartoonist. At night I was always drawing cartoons sending them out to various newspapers
and magazines trying to build up a reputation and earn enough money to have a career at it.
I took voluntary redundancy at the jewellers and that gave me the chance to give it a go.
It was a time when there were lots of magazines, the Daily Star started taking my work, I
was prolific with my work and things started to progress and then greeting cards came
along.
With a couple of guys in Manchester we created Oink magazine, it was a magic time when
Manchester was ‘Madchester’! We were in the same building as the Happy Mondays it was
a bit crazy. Mark Riley from the Fall joined us – it was like being in a rock band.
When Ian Hislop took over at Private Eye around 1986 I started to work for them, they took
some of my skinhead drawings and Hislop asked if I would do a strip for them called ‘Yobs’
and 37 years later I am still doing it!”
As Tony sketched away over our Zoom call I asked how he ended up publishing a book of
cartoons on dementia.
“‘Take Care, Son: The Story of My Dad and Dementia” was published 2014, my Dad had
vascular dementia and he had passed away. It was about three months afterwards I was in
my studio I had finished my day’s work and opened a bottle of wine, I was sat there playing
music. As I sat there I asked my Dad out loud – ‘What was it like Dad to have dementia, can
you remember?” and his voice came back to me…’I had dementia and you’re asking me to
remember?!” then I just had this conversation with him in my head, then I just thought I
would draw that conversation.
I got these 3 A4 pieces of paper, the first page was how it started, then it was things that I
remember happening, then the last page was him asking – ‘Can you imagine what it is like to
lose the memory of everyone and everything you have ever loved?’
I shared them with Stephen Fry, who is a friend and he tweeted them. They went viral and a
publisher emailed me and that is how it started.”
I asked Tony how he used humour and his experience with his father to help those facing
similar situations.
“My cartoons have this ability with the slightest line or movement create a feeling of loss or
sorrow and happiness. Sir Malcolm Walker who runs Iceland food stores, his wife had
dementia he bought 5,000 copies to help people deal with dementia. I sent him a cartoon of
a woman at a check-out, she is struggling to find her card, and everyone behind is tutting
and looking at their watches, looking angry and the caption is “Please be patient, I might be
living with dementia.” Walker loved this and it put over every till in all his stores.
After publishing the book I got involved with the Alzheimer’s Society and I have travelled the
country doing talks, telling the stories behind the pictures in the book. It is very hard talking
about my Dad, but I think the bonus is people go away thinking they are not the only ones,
someone understands.”
Tony has also used his work in other ways…
“I did some work with Portsmouth University and Heathrow Airport, through a guy called
Ian Sherriff we produced two books – one about visiting a dentist if you have dementia and
the other one is for the those travelling through an airport, it explains what is going to
happen. It also helps the staff understand why someone might behave differently.”
I asked Tony how he has been building on that first dementia book.
“I have also been working with Gina Awad, founder of Exeter Dementia Action Alliance,
illustrating her book – ‘United: Caring for our loved ones living with dementia’, it was
published in June. There are seven stories in the book Gina talked to the carers and I drew
them in the zoom calls, it was very moving.
“When I could remember…”
I can just about remember
When I could remember everything
Of the thoughts in my head
And the pleasure they could bring.
But I know the darkness now
And it’s getting darker still.
My mind it seems is closing down
And not of my free will.
Please sit with me and hold my hand
To let me know you understand.
Although my mind is not so clear
I’m still me and I’m still here
Tony Husband
“I didn’t expect the response that has happened and the goodwill towards the book. The
wonderful things people say to me about how the book has helped them.
The comic form is just so simple, in a cartoon by a great cartoonist you can see the story,
you can see what that person is going through in just one look and a few lines. It strips it
down for people, without thousands of words. Just two people, saying something with one
caption and it expresses everything.
As a family we got through it with humour, you have to otherwise you would crack up.
Finally I asked Tony if he had any advice for those supporting someone with dementia.
“Just talk and for your own sake get the memories before the memories go. Don’t talk over
them, include people with dementia in your conversation. Make them feel as though they’ve not gone, that they are important, that what they say
matters.”
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Tony Husband website – http://www.tonyhusband.co.uk/
Books
Take Care Son: The Story of My Dad and Dementia
https://www.waterstones.com/book/take-care-son/tony-husband/9781472115560
United: Caring for our loved ones living with dementia
https://www.waterstones.com/book/united/tony-husband/gina-awad/9781472146519
Travelling with Dementia –
https://www.heathrow.com/content/dam/heathrow/web/common/documents/at-the-
airport/accessibility-and-mobility/flying-with-dementia.pdf
Dental Dementia Friendly Guide –
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/uploads/production/document/path/20/20743/Dental_Deme
ntia_Friendly_Guide.pdf
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