I’m Cindy, a 36 -year-old Mum of two beautiful girls, Pearl (2) and Willow (1) and wife to a devoted and caring husband, James. We live in Perth and both James and I work in primary schools, so we enjoy going away as a family in the school holidays and spending our weekends at the beach and parks with our girls.

The night I found my lump our two girls, who were 4 months and 22 months old at the time, had finally gone down for bed. James and I fell onto the couch to watch TV when I felt an itch on my left breast. As I scratched, I felt the hard lump. Although I was still breastfeeding at the time and could have put it down to that, something urged me to get on my phone and book a GP appointment for the next day.

I was at the park with my family when I received the call from my GP. As soon as she asked if I had anyone with me at the time, I knew the results were not good. As I sat in the park, James and the girls played in the distance, unaware of the conversation being had. I reassured my GP that I will cry, but I am ok to hear the news over the phone. I had Stage 2, Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

My first instinct after telling James was to call my parents. As I cried over the phone with my parents, I remembered that my Mum, Elizabeth, was awaiting some results of her own. It was then that she told me that she had been diagnosed with Anorectal Cancer the previous day.

I was in utter shock, as my Dad was recovering from surgery, having been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer just months before.

With Christmas only days away, we all changed our plans to be together - 50% of my family was now fighting cancer together.

My treatment plan was three months of weekly chemo, two months of fortnightly chemo, and a double mastectomy and reconstruction.

A girlfriend of mine, who was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer at the same time as me, suggested we attend a Look Good Feel Better workshop for something fun to do together. I invited Mum along, as I knew she would enjoy a morning out too.

On the morning of the workshop, I was reluctant to attend as I was one day post-chemotherapy. However, as soon as we arrived, I instantly felt better. The room was filled with women that looked like me! As we sat there with our bald heads, thinning hair, little to no eyebrows and pale faces we laughed, shared stories, and learnt how to bring our faces and confidence back to life.

I learnt how to make myself look like the “old me” with makeup, and how to use headwear to cover my bald patches in my hair that I was not ready to shave at that point.

The best thing about the workshop was being with other women who were also coming to terms with their new appearance and changing bodies. As Mum said, being pampered or taught to take the time to care for and nurture ourselves throughout the changes we were experiencing was an insightful lesson.

Everyone left the workshop lighter and brighter that day - the entire experience definitely helped Mum and I to look good and feel better.

In the weeks that followed people commented on the changes in my skin. As I didn’t go out much or wear makeup during treatment, I did make sure I was practicing some self-care by using my products from the workshop to create a skincare regime. The products we were given were amazing, and we were all absolutely surprised and very grateful when we realised they were gifted to us.

Mum and I would recommend the program to anyone looking for a fun morning, in a comfortable environment surrounded by people who truly understand your experience.

I am now just about to complete my final Immunotherapy treatment and over the past 12 months, we have gained a new perspective on life. We are making plans for a future sea change to be closer to my parents and family and for our girls to grow up in the country. We are far more grateful for the simple things in life, like leaving the house and going out as a family of four and for just being together, happy, and healthy.

As a family, we spent Christmas Day 2022 in shock. I had been diagnosed four days earlier and was starting chemotherapy in five days-time. Dad was recovering, and we were anxiously awaiting Mum’s treatment plan. Despite the worry felt by the adults, we tried to keep the day as exciting and magical as possible for the kids.

This Christmas there will be no need to fake the happiness and joy. We are all cancer free and I’m looking forward to celebrating! Celebrating life, family, health, modern medicine, and feeling the best I have in 12 months. I’ve always loved Christmas but I have a feeling this might be the best one yet!

And one Christmas wish that I hope comes true is that you will consider giving a gift to Look Good Feel Better, because the magic that happens in their workshops is something those undergoing cancer treatment deserve to experience at all times of the year. Every donation makes a difference so please give what you can, if you can.

I’m Min and I live in a beautiful part of coastal Australia, a five-minute walk to the beach where I walk our dog twice a day. I have some lovely friends and I enjoy yoga and bike riding and catching up with my family.

In March 2018, a symptom I had noticed led to a complete breast screen which showed two tiny cysts, but nothing to investigate further. I moved out of Sydney in August 2018, started working in February 2019, and after a follow-up mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsies in September 2019, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, HER2+ - who knew there were so many types of breast cancer!

My life changed a lot after my diagnosis. It becomes a whirlwind of medical appointments - breast surgeon, oncologist, biopsies, MRIs. I was working full time and I was encouraged to stay at work but not knowing what the future held, work was put on hold. The biggest change I experienced was feeling a loss of independence - loss of financial independence that comes with paid employment, and loss of social connectivity that you have with work. It was surprising for me to realise how much I valued my independence. I felt as though everything was out of my control while going through treatment. I just accepted that what was happening was for the best and knew that I would get through.

During the early stages of chemo, I came across information about Look Good Feel Better. Living regionally and not having a breast care nurse, you can feel quite isolated and have to do a lot of research yourself. I decided to participate in a workshop and it was the best thing that I did. It was SO MUCH more than I anticipated.

The volunteers were so lovely and everyone's feelings were taken into consideration. The products were amazing and second to none - I felt so pampered and cared for. I really felt the love, like I was wrapped in a big hug.

I learnt from the Look Good Feel Better workshop that looking after your appearance actually does make you feel better. You may think that having no hair is a small thing, but having no hair, then no eyelashes, and no eyebrows really makes you feel like you’re facing the world stripped bare. Having some guidance as to how to draw on eyebrows and highlight your eyes when you have no eyelashes really helped.

It is a wonderful program that builds your self-esteem when everything around you has changed. The lovely knowledgeable volunteers, the caring, nurturing, empathetic atmosphere and the beautiful products give you the confidence and skills to participate more in life. It is a wonderful opportunity to be able to participate in a Look Good Feel Better workshop and yes, it's a little frightening to meet with a small group of complete strangers, but it was one of the best things that I did.

I felt really spoilt and nurtured and afterwards, would put on my face, and go out feeling a million dollars.

For the past two years my son and I have participated in Dry July and have raised about $2,000 for Look Good Feel Better which has helped fund two full face-to-face workshops.

If you can, I encourage you to support Look Good Feel Better this Dry July so others can benefit from this wonderful program the way I did.

I’m Karen - Mum of two adult daughters, wife of more than 30 years, and a career woman. I’ve spent decades working to support regional and remote Australia along with the most disadvantaged members of our community, particularly our First Nations people. I was 54 in early 2021 when diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

I’ve now completed 12 months of active treatment with “the red devil” (AC chemo) along with Paclitaxel chemo, had a double mastectomy, complete hysterectomy, radiotherapy, and a couple of extra surgeries to deal with other side effects I experienced.

I was never a girly girl, not much into makeup, rarely blow drying or straightening my hair (unless there was a special occasion) and always felt more comfortable in jeans or shorts, runners, and a t-shirt. Once the side effects of treatment kicked in, however, and I had no eyebrows or eyelashes, I was being met at all turns with a lot of concerned faces and I could feel the discomfort others were feeling based on my presentation. I must have appeared a bit scary to be honest, despite feeling better than I looked.

I knew there were “tricks” that I could use to help, but I had no idea where to start. I certainly wasn’t going into a department store (covid and all) and I knew I also needed a LOT of guidance and practice. Just the thought of how overwhelming it would all be was a lot.

I decided to register for a Look Good Feel Better workshop and, apart from the generous supply of products which meant I never had to wonder what I needed, it was the absolute patience of the lovely volunteers helping me to figure out how to draw my features back on that helped me the most. I learned how to draw on my eyebrows and how to create the illusion of eyelashes, and also learned that makeup didn’t have to be complex or scary. It could be quite simple, and so could skincare. Being taught how to look after my skin during treatment ensured it came through in the best possible condition. The added benefit was getting to try out a lot of products in a really, really safe and non-judgmental space. Those things, along with a kind and encouraging group made my experience a wonderful one, and I walked out of the workshop not only looking more like me, but feeling confident I could replicate it. There was absolutely no downside to it.

My family was delighted. They all commented on how I looked “like Mum” again and that the spark in my eye had returned. It also stopped friends and colleagues asking me if I was okay all the time, as I now looked more okay.

When I was feeling good, what I learned at the workshop meant I looked it too. When I wasn’t feeling so good, what I learned at the workshop resulted in me feeling a bit brighter.

My lovely youngest daughter had done Dry July a few times already by 2021 - the year I was having treatment - and she has taken part every year since. She sees Dry July as a way to contribute through her own actions in making a change for others. Participating in, or supporting others to participate in Dry July is an opportunity to create change in our community and to contribute to something that’s important or impacted on you in a meaningful way.

I’m thankful for the support of the Look Good Feel Better program during my experience with cancer and know any Dry July funding will help others going through a similar experience feel a whole lot better too.

Support Team Look Good Feel Better this Dry July. 

I’m Victoria, a 30-year-old French-Australian mother of three-year-old Jimmy, and a FIFO wife to my husband Ross.I work as a Senior Talent Acquisition Partner for a wonderful and supportive organisation and love spending time with my family, going to the beach, going for walks, gardening, and practicing yoga.

In September last year I found a small lump on my left upper breast. I’d had similar ones when breastfeeding my son two years prior so I was not too worried about it, but Ross kept asking me to go for a check, so I did. My GP was not concerned after a physical assessment but provided me with a referral for an ultrasound, which came back inconclusive. As a result, I was sent for a fine needle aspiration to collect tissues for a biopsy.

One week later I received a call from my GP asking me to come in earlier for my appointment to discuss the results. Due to my age, having no history of breast cancer within my family, and the fact that I had experienced these kinds of lumps in my breast in the past I was feeling rather confident going to this appointment. I will never forget the words, or the feeling of blood rushing to my head when I heard “Victoria, please take a seat. I am truly sorry, there really isn’t any easy way to deliver this news to you. Your test came back positive to cancer cells”. My doctor outlined my type of cancer - Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Triple Negative Grade 3 Breast Cancer - and the course of actions to follow.

Upon hearing these words from my GP I knew my life was about to change but I did not really understand exactly how until it all started. I went from living a great life, to feeling like a science project, going to appointments once a week - or every day some weeks - and meeting with multiple medical practitioners. I was rushed for conservative lumpectomy surgery due to the nature of my cancer and then started chemotherapy, which affected not only my internal health but my external appearance too.

I unfortunately had to stop working as treatment triggered some side effects such as nausea, extreme fatigue, insomnia, and emotional imbalance, making it very difficult for me to continue professional activities. Prior to my diagnosis I really enjoyed wearing makeup and taking care of myself. But sadly, after receiving my first two doses of chemotherapy, my skin broke out and I lost all my hair.

As a result, I started to let myself go. I gradually stopped wearing makeup and lost my confidence and spark. I could not stand my reflection when walking past a mirror as I did not recognise myself anymore.

I had heard positive things about the Look Good Feel Better program from ladies I met, and the Nurse who provided me with information had also received great feedback, so I was very excited to attend a workshop.

The workshop provided me with great insights suited to my changed skin and missing hair and lashes. I really enjoyed the headwear section of the workshop where the facilitator demonstrated various ways of wearing and playing with turbans and scarves. I’d never had to wear any type of headwear prior to losing my hair so I felt like a novice on that subject, but I left the workshop feeling confident, with better knowledge on how and where to source headwear and wigs, as well as how to wear them in a creative way. I was also happily surprised when I received the lovely Confidence Kit filled with quality makeup and skincare, which we used during the workshop and were able to take home. I’ve continued to use the products every day!

After attending the Look Good Feel Better workshop I started wearing makeup again and playing with head turbans. This did not go unnoticed by my friends and family who were happy to see me smiling again, and enjoying playing with colourful scarves and cosmetics.

My cancer diagnosis has truly changed my way of living and seeing the world. I used to live a very active, on-the-go life where months felt like weeks and weeks felt like days. I am now able to live each day fully, appreciate the little things, and be in the moment with my son, husband, family, and friends.

I would 200% recommend the Look Good Feel Better program to anyone going through cancer treatment as it was a wonderful and positive experience. It’s a real highlight in this difficult journey - it boosted my confidence and allowed me to connect with other wonderful participants who were going through a similar experience.

I am forever grateful to this charity, the brands that donated the cosmetics, and the wonderful volunteers who shared their knowledge and skills.

If you are able to make a tax-deductible donation so the charity can continue to give others going through treatment their confidence and spark back, it will mean more than you will ever know.

If you can, please give generously. Thank You.

I'm Hannah, I'm 28 years old and was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia. I have beautiful, supportive parents and two fantastic older brothers- one of whom was my stem cell donor. I live with my gorgeous fiancé and our rescue dog.

I’m a psychologist working in private practice and in schools and love my job! Prior to psychology, I spent nine years coaching gymnastics and doing gymnastics and circus myself. Outside of work you’ll find me at the beach, travelling, or doing yoga and pilates. I also love to cook and bake sourdough bread.

I had been sick for about a month around October last year so saw my GP and had a series of tests. I continued working for the most part as I didn’t suspect it was anything serious; how could someone who was young and fit like me get cancer? After four weeks, having just received results of a CT scan, my GP called me and said that I had lymphoma. I was in complete shock and didn’t know what to do. I called my family and within 15 minutes my parents, brother and cousin were sitting on my bed with me. We ate cookies and ice-cream, talked, and cried.

I went into hospital the following day and after three days and further tests, the doctors diagnosed me with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. Treatment started the next day, but it took weeks for me to properly process the diagnosis.

By Christmas time I was starting to feel all the effects of the chemo treatment and the complications that came with it. I was actually so sick with an inflamed colon, an infection, and ongoing blood noses that I was in hospital for two and a half weeks over Christmas. I was on a very restricted diet, very nauseous and pretty much bald by that point. Christmas to me is all about family time, great food and celebration. It’s usually my favourite time of the year but that Christmas, every event, party and carols I couldn’t go to was a constant reminder of how much cancer sucks. Luckily on Christmas day, my doctors gave me day leave so I was able to spend some time with close family members, but I definitely didn’t feel like myself.

Physically, the treatment made me very, very weak - at some points during treatment just walking was difficult and I had to use a wheelchair. I lost a lot of independence and dignity and relied on my family to support me. I lost all body confidence due to physical changes- weight and muscle tone loss, face changes, dry skin, and of course hair loss.

The nurses at the hospital spoke so highly of the Look Good Feel Better program that I had no reluctance to order a Home-Delivered Confidence Kit. Unfortunately, I was never well enough to attend a workshop in person, but being delivered the Confidence Kit meant I had the products to help with participation in a Virtual Workshop, and to use day-to-day.

When my Kit arrived I was so excited. I put on makeup for the first time in months and drew on my eyebrows. I didn’t realise how unfeminine I’d been feeling or how good getting dressed up would make me feel. It was such a huge confidence lift. It also taught me to accept my ‘new’ body and thrive with it.

The information that came in the Home-Delivered Confidence Kit summarised everything taught in the virtual workshops, so it was great to be able to refer to this before and after the workshop - especially how to draw on eyebrows!

I was blown away with the quality and range of products I received and the usefulness of the information. I really appreciated all of it. After using the products in the Kit I had numerous comments on how healthy and happy I looked.

I have since taken part in a ‘tapping’ workshop as part of Feel Better Fridays which has taught me how to relieve anxiety related to cancer and what I’m going through. The facilitator was just amazing at explaining the technique, making me feel safe and comfortable, and the practice has since brought so much calm to my mind.

I would definitely recommend the Look Good Feel Better program to everyone going through cancer treatment and can’t thank the charity enough for all the help they’ve given me.

Since my diagnosis, my life has changed in more ways than one. I haven’t been able to work due to intensive treatment regimes and the associated side effects of fatigue, nausea, and a compromised immune system. I’ve been unable to do everyday activities outside of the home and have to be careful when allowing friends and family to come visit.

But aside from physical and practical changes, it’s changed how I view life. It has allowed me to feel things in deeper ways, appreciate the important stuff more and live a slower paced life. I also feel closer to my family, fiancé, and friends, having been through this. The support from them has never stopped.

I am super excited for Christmas this year to be better than the last and even more grateful for everything I have and everyone who’s helped me on my cancer journey, including the Look Good Feel Better program.

If you’re able to give a gift this Christmas to help them continue making a difference, your generosity would be so very appreciated.

At the end of 2018, I discovered a large lump on my neck while I was working overseas. My doctor arranged for it to be biopsied once I returned to the country in February 2019, and those tests came back inconclusive. About eight months later, I still had the lump and I was feeling really run down, and my new GP ran some further tests and recommended that I get the lump biopsied again. The second time the tests showed that I had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

There was about six weeks between my diagnosis and staring treatment, and in between that there was a heap of other tests, a rushed round of IVF to collect some eggs, and turning 30. Going through treatment was difficult. It was the first time I had spent a lot of time as a patient in the health care system and there was a lot to navigate. The chemotherapy regime was tough, and I was spending a lot of time at home recovering from that.

I’d been told about the Look Good Feel Better program but it wasn’t something that I was sure I would get a lot out of. Looking back however, I think I was making excuses for myself - at the time I was still quite reluctant to identify as a cancer patient, and I felt like attending groups such as this would cement that I was one.

The workshop provided an opportunity to get out of the house for a day involving something that wasn’t a medical appointment. I learned a lot of practical things about skin care and cosmetics, and it was really helpful having someone there to provide practical information about wigs and headwear.

The facilitators were really experienced, and they knew the sorts of issues that everyone was facing with their appearance and life generally. Although it was with a group of other cancer patients, we weren’t treated like that was all we were.

I remember laughing a lot with the other workshop participants - before that, I don’t think that I had really connected with other people who were going through treatment and I really appreciated that. A handful of the other participants were also having treatment at the same hospital as I was, so it meant that there were now some familiar faces around which was nice. It was also just great being able to participate in something like this that wasn’t limited to a particular type of cancer or an age group.

I think that attending the Look Good Feel Better workshop put me in the right frame of mind to utilise other services available for people undergoing treatment or living with cancer. Before I did the workshop I was hesitant to attend other groups, because I was reluctant to identify as a cancer patient. Meeting the other participants and having a great time at the workshop gave me the confidence to seek out other support services which I think really benefited me during treatment and recovery.

Taking part in Dry July helps fund the Look Good Feel Better program, meaning more Australians undergoing cancer treatment can benefit from the same positive experiences I did. Thank you for your support.

For Monica and Danielle, a chance meeting at a Look Good Feel Better workshop five years ago resulted in a special connection that neither could have anticipated.

Towards the end of 2016, Monica underwent a mammogram and series of biopsies for a growth that had been present under her armpit for nine months. As a fit, healthy marathon runner and yoga devotee, the moment she entered the room to receive her results and saw a nurse standing ready with a tissue box was an unnerving one. “It was a complete shock that what I had under my arm pit was cancerous. I simply couldn’t believe it. I didn’t exhibit any of the risk factors.”

Similarly, at the beginning of 2017 a mammogram and ultrasound confirmed a breast cancer diagnosis for Danielle. “I was shocked. Nobody in my family had ever had breast cancer and I just thought that I had a lump. I had a history of breast cysts which I would routinely have drained, and I thought that this lump was the same.”

Both women registered for a Look Good Feel Better workshop in March 2017, hopeful to connect with others in a similar situation and to learn some tips and tricks, particularly around managing hair loss. They got what they were hoping for, and so much more.

Monica said, “Friends you make during your cancer journey are very special friends and Danielle and I finding each other at the Look Good Feel Better workshop offered support and understanding. The program is designed to build confidence and empower those undergoing cancer treatment, and it also allows you to have a bit of fun and forget about your next medical appointment.

“Cancer changed us both and it has been special to have a friend like Danielle who completely understood what I was going through, and who understands that once you finish treatment you are never the same. Neither of us went back to being the same person we were before. Danielle, a qualified registered nurse, went on to study specialist Breast Cancer nursing, and I left my full-time management job to become a yoga teacher, specialising in Oncology yoga - Yoga4Cancer. Both of us have found ways to support others being diagnosed with cancer.”

Danielle added, “Five years later, we’re thankful to have benefited from participating in the program with the outcome of a very special friendship. I can't explain how good it felt to meet someone exactly the same age as me, with kids and a husband all around the same age. We had identical portacath sites, we both shared an Oncologist and we both had long hair and then went bald together.

For the first year or so Monica and I met up each week for coffee or lunch and a chat, but we could also not talk and feel comfortable in the silence. We did not have to explain anything to each other, we just knew how it felt to be diagnosed with a life- threatening disease at 49 years of age. Having someone who knew how you were feeling and how your family was feeling - nobody but Monica could understand these things at the time, and even now.

Our friendship is treasured and held deep in my heart. I am so grateful to have Monica in my life and I don't think that I would have made it without her. Thank goodness we met at a Look Good Feel Better workshop - I will be forever grateful for that day.”

While the purpose of the Look Good Feel Better program is to equip participants with the practical skills and knowledge needed to help manage the physical side effects of treatment, there is no denying the connections that thousands of our participants form through our workshops each year are just as impactful. These connections help reduce feelings of isolation, and provide the mental and emotional strength to navigate the challenges that diagnosis and treatment can entail.

And for the Look Good Feel Better program, our connection with our community of supporters is equally invaluable. It is because of you that our program can continue to run, benefitting participants like Monica and Danielle long after each workshop is completed.

This June, Anton and Jenny Gaudry from the Gaundry Foundation have generously agreed to strengthen their connection to the Look Good Feel Better program by dollar-matching any tax-deductible donation made before the end of financial year.

If you are able to give a gift this tax time you can do so knowing that your kindness will have double the impact, helping to build connections that truly make a long-lasting difference.

We thank you for your generosity.

My name is Kelly. I am a women’s fitness coach and a mum of two. I lost my mother Rosario to breast cancer in January 2019, not long after Christmas.

Mum received her diagnosis after an ultrasound and biopsy; triple negative cancer – one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer. We were in shock and I must admit, in a bit of denial that it was actually happening.

As a women’s fitness coach my immediate instinct was to help her as best as I knew how to – by helping her improve her nutrition, getting her onto a light exercise program, and helping her implement lifestyle habits that would ensure she was in the best state once she started her treatment.

When Mum’s treatment first commenced, it didn’t really seem to affect her. But as the weeks went by, I could see it was affecting her more and more. The most difficult and most painful time was when she started to lose her hair.

Within two months of starting treatment, she had lost all her hair, eyelashes and brows. Many times she broke down and cried as, on top of the stress of all the chemo treatments, her self-confidence was low. She would say she felt ugly and cry and I would hug her and hold her and tell her she was beautiful, but she didn’t believe it.

A nurse had showed Mum a Look Good Feel Better pamphlet and suggested that she attend a workshop. She was told she was allowed to take a support person with her and she asked me if I could make it. I always made sure I could go to all her appointments with her; whether it was chemo or doctors visits or blood tests, I was always there. So I said yes, of course I’ll come.

It was a few months before Christmas in 2017 and it was the first time I had ever heard of the Look Good Feel Better program. We arrived at the workshop and met nine other women of all ages who were undergoing cancer treatment. Each woman had her own place setting and ‘Confidence Kit’ with all types of make-up and skin care that they could use throughout the workshop and then take home with them.

During the workshop they were taught how to care for their skin, how to put on make-up, how to style scarves onto their beautiful bald heads, how to choose a wig that felt comfortable, and they were made to feel like themselves again.

I remember that day so vividly. I took so many photos of Mum at the workshop – the smile on her face as she drew on her eyebrows and practiced putting on her make-up, and the big grin on her face once she put on her wig and showed off her made-up face.

Mum looked so happy, confident and radiant at the end of the workshop. I always thought she looked beautiful, but it was the first time in a long time that she actually FELT BEAUTIFUL!

Because of her experience at the workshop, that day her self-confidence came back. Just seeing her smile made me so grateful that a program like this exists.

Because I personally witnessed the positive impact the Look Good Feel Better program had on my Mum, I’m so passionate about sharing her experience and doing what I can to show my support.

I recently held a fundraising day through my personal business and with the help of my amazingly generous community, we raised enough money to fund an entire Look Good Feel Better workshop for 10 participants.

This Christmas, my hope is that as many of you as possible will also support this fantastic program. Four years later the experience my Mum had still means the world to me – it really does make a difference, not only to the participants but also their families.

If you’re able to give a gift to Look Good Feel Better this Christmas to allow them to continue helping those undergoing cancer treatment, please do.

I had retired in 2012 after an interesting career, starting as a secondary teacher and then working in government as a consultant across industries, including a major car manufacturer. I had been living the life of a perfectly normal 64-year-old woman and although things were getting more complex with increasing care requirements for my aging Italian parents, life was generally good. Like most women, my weight and the increasing wrinkles I saw in the mirror were my main concerns! I have a supportive partner, two wonderful adult step-children and a circle of friends – some who I have known since primary school. I am very much looking forward to becoming a step-grandmother and being called Nonna this year.

Retirement had taken some adjustment but as a number of other friends had also retired, I had settled into a routine of catching up with friends and regular walks to stay ahead of our expanding waistlines. I began to volunteer for a community health organisation which I greatly enjoyed, particularly as I got to work with an amazing team of dedicated young people. As my private life involved the hands-on care of my parents, my volunteer work allowed me to use my corporate skills.

At age 64 I had never had an overnight stay in a hospital. There had been a few small day procedures but, as I had been so healthy my whole life, my diagnosis was a shock.

During one of my daily walks with a friend I mentioned I’d been feeling a slight sensation in my lower stomach. Over several weeks the sensation continued and although I wasn’t in pain, I wondered if I might be getting appendicitis so went to my local GP.  She sent me to get an ultrasound, which quickly led to a CT scan, a meeting with an Oncologist, a COVID test and preparation to go into hospital.

The operation went well and I had wonderful care but, despite having read all the materials I had been given on ovarian cancer, when they told me along with a hysterectomy they had removed a 16 cm melon shaped cancerous tumour, I didn’t really process it all.

Once my Oncologist had all my post-operative results and told me my ovarian cancer was relatively low level and that I had been lucky, I finally lost it and cried for many hours. I think I slowly recovered when I saw how relieved family and friends were. The level of love and support that came my way was overwhelming and confirmed what really matters in life.

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) this process did lead to a second cancer diagnosis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL).

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Look Good Feel Better virtual workshops. We were still in lockdown and I was lucky to be given a wig, but just couldn’t get it to sit properly on my head (or stay there). I am not a hat person and knew the hats I had were not appropriate, and I had never put a scarf on my head successfully. I was quite nervous about how I was going to manage to go out in public and what the reaction might be. I felt okay with make-up but then realised not having hair, eyebrows or eyelashes is a game changer and I needed help.

The workshop really helped me with regards to wigs, scarves and hats – how to wear them and where to buy them. I busily wrote everything down and used most of the information afterwards. The makeup workshop was excellent too and showed that when you look different to how you normally do, you need a different approach and different products.

The facilitator was knowledgeable and really practical. I liked that she covered where to get really stylish (and often expensive) hats, scarves, make-up but also knew that there were great products that we could get at Priceline and Kmart! It was also really good to see and hear from other participants as you realise women everywhere are dealing with the same thing. They were able to pass on great tips from their first-hand experience and I have since tried new, and better, products I didn’t realise existed.

I did receive feedback from friends and family after the virtual workshops that I was more confident and a bit more adventurous in my headwear.  I was more concerned about going out in public before the workshop, but it did make me feel like I knew what I was doing afterwards.

I also received a Home-Delivered Confidence Kit and it was good to receive information about what the products do and how to apply them. It encouraged me to take action to start to feel better. With such lovely products you feel you have to experiment, and I even finally learned how to apply eyeliner!

The Look Good Feel Better workshops are as much about the connection with the facilitator and other participants as the practical advice. By participating, I stopped feeling sorry for myself and did something positive.

As the old saying goes “you don’t know what you don’t know”.  Looking good is much more difficult when a very different face is looking back at you in the mirror so taking part in a Look Good Feel Better workshop is a small but significant step to move you on and give you some control.

My name is Jo and I am 36 years old. My husband, two kids and I love the outdoors and we spend most of our weekends exploring new areas and places on foot or bike, or getting to harder to reach places in a 4WD with the tent on the roof.

When we are not away for the weekend we spend our time with family and friends, adventuring, or enjoying a few boardgames. We are lucky enough to have grown up and lived in a town surrounded by National Park and have enjoyed the past three and a half years living in Tasmania.

I’m pretty sure the lump on my neck came up overnight. I wasn’t freaking out about it, but I knew it was not normal. It was hard, popped-up very quickly and initially didn’t cause pain. But it was big – I could see it when looking in the mirror.

My Mum and Sister are medical professionals, so I causally took a picture and sent it to them asking “what do you think this is? Place your bets”. Their advice was “Not sure what it is, but you need to get it checked out.” This was in May 2020, in the midst of COVID-19 lockdowns.

My GP insisted on urgent scans – she had a healthy and fit 35-year-old sitting in front of her with a large neck lump. Advanced stage Hodgkin Lymphoma was the diagnosis.

Within three weeks a lump had appeared on my neck, I had a diagnosis, and I had started treatment. In May I was working full-time at home along with my husband, and the two kids were at school. By June I was in a cancer clinic receiving IV chemo.

Writing that sounds alarming. For me, I actually don’t think it all sunk in until I had finished my treatment. My family and I rode the wave of chemo for six months. Our lives rolled in 14-day cycles, which is very different to ‘normal life’.

When I found out about the Look Good Feel Better Virtual Workshops, I was not reluctant to participate. I did not grow up with a lot of knowledge around beauty products or how to look after my skin, so I was really keen to learn about what impacts the treatment would have on me and how best to manage them.

I learnt so much from the Virtual Workshops. Before participating, I didn’t really know anything about skin changes and hair loss resulting from treatment. The workshops focused on what was relevant, talked through the impacts of treatment, offered suggestions for the types of products that could help manage them, as well as offering ways to manage them.

When going through treatment or just finding out about your diagnosis, you can feel very overwhelmed with information, thoughts and things you need to do. I’d also requested a Home-Delivered Confidence Kit and having all the resources you need provided in the Kit, along with the knowledge on how to use them through the Virtual Workshops is excellent. It takes away the need to find and collate this information and the products for yourself; one extra burden you don’t need at this point in time.

The Look Good Feel Better Virtual Workshops and Home-Delivered Confidence Kit left me feeling a lot more confident in knowing how to manage my hair loss and skin irritation and sensitivity. It filled a gap in knowledge during diagnosis and treatment.

I have finished treatment for now and I see a Haematologist regularly to keep an eye on things. I am now in the ‘recovery’ phase and I will return to work shorty, but in a reduced capacity as I regain strength and stamina. My hair is growing back slowly and I’m confident to wear nothing on my head these days. My eyebrows and eyelashes are also returning which is so nice.

The Look Good Feel Better program provided me with very practical tips that I continue to use and appreciate. The information was invaluable and the support was something no other service provider within the treatment experience was able to provide.

I would absolutely recommend Look Good Feel Better to others going through cancer treatment and if you’re able to, I encourage you to give a gift in support of the program this tax time. Your tax-deductible donation will ensure the Look Good Feel Better program can continue to provide much-needed support to all Australians who are searching for boost of confidence while undergoing cancer treatment.

I’m Vicky, a 33-year-old public speaker, workshop facilitator and coach. I’m also now a full-time mum, so most of my daily duties include preparing never-ending snacks, impromptu dance-breaks and general toddler wrangling. In my spare time I love to get creative, meet new people, share stories, explore new places and find ways to have fun every day.

At the time of my diagnosis, I was 29 years old. I had an accomplished FIFO career, had been newly married for 6 months, had just bought our first home and were planning to have a baby in the next year.

I’d felt a lump in my neck and assumed it must be muscular or that my glands were up from a virus. I was a fit, healthy 29-year-old with no previous history of Lymphoma in the family. After a month of testing, I was told I had Stage IV Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

I was then thrown into fertility preservation, failed fertility preservation, chemotherapy, Zoladex implants, scans, tests, hair loss, weight gain, hospitalisation, identity change, isolation, the inability to work, reassessing life plans and so much more.

The actual diagnosis is still a bit of a blur even now, but I remember feeling shocked, angry and confused. Not just about the cancer itself but more about the other impacts of treatment – specifically the risk of infertility. We’d only been married 6 months, had bought our first home two days prior and now we’d been rudely initiated into the club nobody wants to join – the Cancer Club. I had one choice to make: receive medical treatment that could save my life but if successful, that same treatment would probably leave me infertile. I was heartbroken.

Once treatment commenced, I was surprised at the lack of support available to me – I didn’t ‘tick the box’ with most charities as I was young, female and not diagnosed with a specific ‘women’s cancer.’ It was such a confusing time. I would reach out to charities looking for mental health support and ways to connect with other young women in the same situation, but then be turned away. So, when I found out about Look Good Feel Better, I was over the moon that I was eligible and I couldn’t wait to attend a workshop.

I was hoping for guidance, a starting point and a community that I could relate to. My hair had fallen out a few days before my workshop and I attended with my newly shaved head. At that stage in my treatment, I was still feeling physically OK-ish, but I was mentally overwhelmed. I looked mostly like myself, still with my own eyebrows and eyelashes, but couldn’t help thinking “when they fall out, where do I even start with drawing on eyebrows? How do I tie a headscarf? What do I need to look for in a wig?” Lots of questions that the internet just sent me round in circles with. I was craving real human connection and the Look Good Feel Better workshop was perfect for that.

I took away practical advice like make-up tricks, self-care tips and options for head coverings, but I also left feeling empowered and re-energised from a few hours of fun.

Friends and family were grateful that I’d finally found the like-minded support and human connection I’d been looking for. The physical changes resulting from cancer treatment can have such a huge mental impact on a patient – Look Good Feel Better workshops give patients the skills and confidence to leave the room feeling empowered and with options.

The life-long impacts and mental health challenges following remission were way more of a shock to me than the actual diagnosis. Cancer is still mainly viewed in terms of the medical diagnosis and treatment of a physical illness, but I found it to be far more mentally, socially and emotionally challenging, than just a disease of the body.

I will be forever grateful for the Look Good Feel Better program. It gave me a place to find the understanding and connection I’d been desperately seeking, at a time when many other avenues weren’t available. I always recommend Look Good Feel Better to others going through treatment. It’s the one place I felt welcomed, understood and had fun!

It has taken several years for me to mentally heal, process all the life changes and re-connect physically with my body. If only it happened overnight, like in the movies! What helped me the most during my recovery was finding ways to recreate the same confidence and connection that the Look Good Feel Better program provided during treatment. Reaching out for help, finding communities to connect with, sharing my story; all of these things and more were crucial to my recovery.

That said, I’m now a mum to my beautiful miracle baby girl, loving life, having more fun, caring less about things that aren’t important, appreciating more and being fortunate enough to work in my dream job supporting other incredible women. In a lot of ways, cancer was the best thing to ever happen to me. It truly changed my life.

I have always been an active, extroverted person and quite healthy for most of my life. I am a nurse and a midwife who eventually accessed an academic pathway to become a research professor for the last 15 years of my career. Many of my activities with governments, the United Nations and other world agencies meant that I had opportunities to travel and meet fantastic people working hard for the benefit of others. I was honored as a Member of the Order of Australia for my work on the rights of older people and social policy around ageing. At age 72, I have two sons and three grandchildren and have been widowed since 2012. I live in a lovely area on the outskirts of Sydney with my two little dogs and am enjoying my life.

For 15 years I had been having routine breast screening with nothing ever showing up. Last October I was due for another and almost didn’t bother having it but decided not to be so lazy and got myself off to the appointment. I knew something was not right that day when I was kept there for hours awaiting results and to speak with the surgeon.

When I was told there were two lumps in my right breast, my life flipped. As a nurse, I knew what it meant and what lay ahead. The only dilemma for me was whether I should let nature take its course or if I should fight the disease. It was a time for me to evaluate my life’s effort, and whether I thought I could contribute further if I decided to live on. I wanted to continue to work in my field and mentor and work with others wanting to build their careers. So I decided to live.

My Breast Care Nurse signed me up to attend a Look Good Feel Better workshop, about which friends had told me great things. Unfortunately, that workshop was canceled due to the social restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and I was disappointed. I knew that I was not looking all that good with drying skin, a droopy face and without hair, and was feeling a bit ‘dish raggy’ about it all. My nurse encouraged me to request a Home-Delivered Confidence Kit instead and she was right in recommending it.

The box of goodies and advice arrived just at the moment I was despairing about what was to come and worrying about the treatment side-effects.

The ‘Work it’ booklet took me through all of the make-up tips. I hadn’t really taken a lot of notice about newer ways to apply make-up so it was good learning. I had bought a wig but wasn’t wearing it as it was very hot weather. Turbans were much more comfortable – but they did need some work to get them looking attractive. The tips and instructions in the booklet for tying and twisting scarves around turbans made all the difference to the headwear I had.

The positive approach displayed across the whole package was the best thing about the Kit for me. The products were high end in quality and the booklet was also encouraging and the diagrams easy to follow. It was clear it all came from people who knew what I was going through and were there to help me to overcome the awful situation I was in.  I felt like I had new friends who were smoothing the journey for me.

Since receiving my Home-Delivered Confidence Kit I have been making the effort to look good each morning – and I DO feel better! My girlfriends all noticed that I was looking great in my makeup, turbans and occasional kaftans. My family is not close by and by the time they could come to see me, the COVID-19 restrictions prevented it. I was able to keep contact with everyone using Skype though, and the makeup was always a must for these times. All of them said I didn’t look sick and in fact, looked glamorous – exactly the reaction I was seeking!

Since being diagnosed with breast cancer, my life has been dominated by the surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment necessary for me to live on. While all of this meant less engagement with the world, my timing was strangely good with the rest of the world experiencing similar limitations with the COVID-19 pandemic. I was not alone in my solitude.

I have been given a great opportunity to think about what I have done over the past 70 years and to make a conscious decision to treat the cancer and not let it define me. I am now more determined than ever to live on and continue being me, contributing to my professional fields, the betterment of others, and to enjoy the extra years of life that I have been given. I am optimistic about my prognosis and even if that turns out not to be so, I am grateful for any bonus time on this wonderful planet.

Towards the end of this year when my active treatment will end, I will be able to get back to my hobbies of visiting the galleries, gardening, lunches with friends, Tai Chi and other group exercise, writing and generally living a life that has been extended by the wonderful people who have treated my cancer and cared for me as a person. I include the ‘Look Good Feel Better’ team in that group.

Thinking back over the past 7 months since my life flipped, the Look Good Feel Better program is a highlight of support and rehabilitation for me. It confirmed my decision to fight the cancer and it continues to support me in living the life I want, not just what I am left with.