Look Good, Feel Better

Monday afternoon I got a phonecall from a lady from the "Look Good Feel Better" program who said she received my name from the cancer centre. "Look Good Feel Better" is a non-profit program available to cancer patients undergoing treatment across the world. There are Look Good Feel Better programs across Canada, the United States, and the UK. The program is designed to provide people undergoing cancer treatment with tips on how to "look good and feel better" and gain confidence during treatment. The first half of the program deals with applying make-up, zeroing in on the special concerns of cancer patients, and the second half deals with wigs and head coverings. Not only does the program provide tips from professionals (the program is led by groups of volunteer estheticians), but it also provides each participant with a box of cosmetic goodies, which are all generously donated by various companies.

At first I thought that something like this may not be necessary for me, as I am very used to choosing and applying my own make-up and because I had already chose and ordered my wigs, hats, and head covers. But, then I thought it could be fun and would give me a chance to get out there and mingle with some other people who are going through similar battles as myself-- it couldn't hurt me to go. I also strongly believe that looking great can make you feel 100 times better, both psychologically and physically and I know that something like this could really provide a turn around from many women. Thus, I wanted to be supportive of the cause.

So, Tuesday morning I got myself ready and brought myself to the third floor of the CBR hospital (my second home) and searched for the Look Good Feel Better room. I saw a group of ladies gathered around a door and headed their way. I needed to look no further, as I was immediately approached by an older lady who said "You must be Melanie" and led me into the room that was scantily clad with middle-aged women. There were four other cancer patients and six volunteers present. The volunteers all introduced themselves and told of their training (each of them had some sort of training in cosmetology). There was one volunteer to sit with and assist each participant, and there was one volunteer who stood at the front of the room and facilitated the whole ordeal.

We began by removing make-up we had previously put on that day and I knew this would require me to remove my funky little hat and go bald. I felt a little reluctant because everyone else in the room seemed to have hair and it would be the first time I went completely bald in front of a group of strangers. I looked at myself in the little makeup mirror that sat facing me on the table, took a long, deep breath, and took the hat off. Once it was off, I didn't feel so strange. The ladies sitting near me commented on how beautiful my skin was and how well my head suited the bald look . This gave me a little confidence and I soon completely forgot that I had it off. Soon after, I noticed that another lady took her wig off and went bald as well (I thought she had hair the whole time!). The room immediately became a comfort zone and the atmosphere was definitely loosened.

For the first hour we went over how to apply our make-up properly. In particular, they demonstrated how to apply eyebrows if they fall out, how to care for skin problems associated with some chemo, and how to avoid losing eyelashes (i.e. don't use waterproof mascara!). The awesome thing was that all of the makeup we needed to use was provided for us to practise with and then keep!

Ending the first hour, we had tea, coffee and sweets homemade by the volunteers. It's a wonderful thing to want to help other people so much and to put so much of your heart into doing it. I noticed a few ladies whispering at tea time "What a shame" and other such remarks. I assumed they were whispering about me. It made me feel a little awkward, but they spoke nothing but the truth. It is a shame. But, I have learned to deal with it and accept it so its no longer a shock to myself as it once was. This is why it catches me off guard when I hear comments like that now.

For the second hour, they talked about wigs--how to choose them and how to care for them. They even had a number of wigs for us to try on. For some reason, I became the guiea pig, as all the ladies came running to me to try on a little short-cut auburn wig. They put it on me, styled it up, and showed it off to everyone in the room. Having so much fun with this, they decided to try a short dark wig and a shoulder-length strawberry blonde wig on me for fun. It was a laugh-- who'd have ever thought I would be hanging out with a pile of middle-aged and up women trying on wigs in my 25th year!? Ah ... nonetheless, it was fun and I appreciated all their help. I even got up and told everyone about my wig-shopping escapades and how much fun I was having with trying different colours and cuts. It's a great chance to experiment with your looks and it doesn't have to cost a lot (I have a feeling that the lady I order from on Ebay is going to be getting some increased sales soon!).


To end the session, they brought out a table full of hats and scarves--all free to take. I tried on a few different things and decided to choose a pretty, long, colorful scarf and a knitted beanie.

I thought that although Ididn't learn a great deal about applying makeup (mainly just because I've been doing it for so long), it was still a nice way to get out and enjoy myself with people going through similar experiences. The box of goodies was extremely generous and has been lots of fun to use--I never owned this many products in my entire life, and all of them are quality--makeup removers, facial toners, refreshers, face exfoliators, amazing creams, and the beautiful cosmetics we used during the session. I have EVERYTHING I need to look and feel great during chemo.

If you or someone you know is going through chemotherapy I would highly recommend taking part in the Look Good Feel Better program. If you want more information about LGFB, contact a nurse in the cancer unit at your hospital or visit the following website:

http://www.lgfb.ca/eng/

"In every man's heart there is a secret nerve that answers to the vibrations of beauty." ~Christopher Morley