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Look Good Feel Better - Index

Look Good Feel Better - magazine - Index

INSPIRING WOMEN
“When I walked
into the workshop,
I was thinking
to myself, ‘Why
am I here?’ But
as other women
started to show
up and the room
became fi lled with
conversation, my
fears washed
away” ROSETTA WESTON
WELLSPRING
CENTRES
FOR SUPPORT
Our four workshop
participants met for a
round-table discussion with
writer Jacqueline Foley at
Wellspring, a wonderful
network of centres that
provide emotional and
psychological support,
free of charge, to people
and families living with
cancer – without referral. In
addition to one-to-one peer
support, each centre offers
support groups and copingskills
programs that help
with stress management,
communication, education
and access to other
community resources.
To fi nd out more, please
visit www.wellspring.ca.
Judy says that the workshop really reinforced the idea that
she needed to focus more on doing feel-good things for herself.
“Cancer is like hitting the wall,” says Judy. “When you get sick
like this, you realize it’s time to slow down. Now I take time
to put on makeup and to go to my yoga classes. It’s a conscious
decision. It’s not giving in to the crazy pace of life.”
The workshops help with the healing process
Of course, Look Good Feel Better is about more than just
looking good — it’s about feeling good, too. For many women,
the workshop is also an important part of their healing process.
“I would have stayed in my little cocoon if it hadn’t been for
Look Good Feel Better,” says Rosetta. “Everyone comes from
different backgrounds, but you quickly realize that you all share
wanting to get through it. There was so much positive energy in
the room. The experience opened up my mind to listening and
feeling, and it inspired me to participate and get involved in a lot
of excellent support groups. That’s the feel-better side.”
Ray feels she got a lot of courage from seeing how other
women were dealing with their cancer. “I’m more outgoing
now,” says Ray. “You know, less mousy and more mouthy. I
think it’s because I got so much support that it makes me want
to give back to others. I now speak to medical students about my
personal experience surrounding my cancer diagnosis as part
of a Survivors Teaching Students program. I never would have
done that before.”
Look Good Feel Better pushed Donna to talk more openly
about her cancer experience. “I didn’t like talking to my family
about my disease. I needed another outlet. Talking with women
who had already gone through a stage I hadn’t made me stronger,”
says Donna. “I thought, if she can do it, so can I. Now I’ve applied
to be a volunteer for the Look Good Feel Better program to share
what I learned with other cancer patients.”
Judy says that the positive energy she took away from the
Look Good Feel Better workshop stayed with her throughout
her treatment. “The workshop is a safe haven where you can be
honest with each other about how you’re feeling,” says Judy. “It
demystifi es some of the fear. There are so many unknowns when
you have cancer, but you realize that no matter what cancer you
have, you all share similar fears. You realize you’re not alone and
that you’re going to be OK.”
MAKEUP: DAVID GOVEIA, KEVIN SMITH, THE ARTIST GROUP LTD. HAIR: BARBARA
CROSSWELL, STUDIO NIKO, TORONTO (416 967-0070). STYLIST: MICHELLE PAIANO, THE
ARTIST GROUP LTD. PROPS: LYNDA FELTON, JUDY INC. COUCH: DAVENPORT ULTRA SUEDE
SOFA, VISITOR PARKING. FAUX FUR RUG, URBAN OUTFITTERS. CLOTHING FOR DONNA AND
RAY, THE BAY. ROSETTA’S CLOTHES, BANANA REPUBLIC. JUDY’S CLOTHES: TOP, FRANCO
MIRABELLI; PANTS, BANANA REPUBLIC.
14 1 800 914 5665 | LOOKGOODFEELBETTER.CA