Getting diagnosed with breast cancer at age 30 was a huge shock. Everything had been going so well. I was a newlywed, living in the heart of Winnipeg with my husband Peyton and our giant rescue dog Bowie and two cats. We loved taking long trail walks and going out to concerts and art shows. I’m an elementary school teacher and I was teaching grades 1 and 2, which are such a fun age to teach. Life was good.
No one in my family has had breast cancer, and it was an even bigger shock to find out that mine was stage 4. Before my diagnosis, I had no idea that there were different types of breast cancer. Mine is HER2-positive, an aggressive but highly treatable form of breast cancer.
One of the hardest things after I learned of my diagnosis was finding someone to connect with. In all the literature I was given, like booklets on advanced breast cancer, all the pictures and information were geared toward people in their 60s or older. We don’t often come across other 30-year-olds with stage 4 breast cancer. Not being able to find someone I could really relate to was challenging.
Going through my treatment plan was a rollercoaster of emotions. It was tough physically, too. The nausea in the beginning had me feeling seasick, and I had bad bone aches. But all my doctors and nurses were so positive and supportive, and they really helped me to stay positive too.
Staying positive was a big theme for me. My husband was a big part of it. During chemo, when I wasn’t feeling well, we’d watch old sitcoms together and laugh as much as we could. We watched The Great British Bake Off and then started baking together. We just tried to keep things light.
In the moments when I wasn’t positive, Peyton would be there to lift me up and remind me that I was going to be okay and that we were in this together. He helped me through some challenging times. He took notes at my doctors’ appointments and reassured me when I was overwhelmed. When I was nauseous from chemo and had no appetite, he got creative in the kitchen, making soup or bao buns to try to get me to eat protein and vitamins.
The Look Good Feel Better workshop helped me to stay positive too. I was okay with losing my hair – I did a super short, fun haircut with the kitchen scissors. But I was really nervous about losing my eyebrows. The workshop had so many great tips. Learning how to do my eyebrows was a huge thing for me. And I finally learned how to do blush properly.
It’s true that when you feel like you look good, you feel better. The makeup tips and tricks I learned gave me the confidence to go out and do things, to be more social and to feel more like myself again. Especially now that I’m done with chemo – I don’t have the side effects anymore, but I also still don’t have hair. Some days I feel really good but when I look in the mirror, my appearance doesn’t match how I feel. It’s almost like a reminder that I’m still going through this – that I’m still sick. I feel good and I want to look that way, too.
I grieve for my old life before my diagnosis and the future that could have been, but I’m very thankful for targeted therapy and that I’ll be able to live and move forward with my supportive husband and my wonderful fur babies. I’m looking forward to trying a pixie cut, travelling to Italy and eating all the pasta, and getting back to “my regular life.” If you’re going through this, stay positive. It’s going to be okay. Enjoy life, and try to smile.
Support groups have always been an important part of my life. I’m a big believer in them. As an extrovert, being around others energizes me and I enjoy hearing people’s stories. And I relish the give-and-take dynamic support groups provide. Sometimes you’re receiving support, and sometimes you’re giving back. This rhythm has long shaped my life.
It started in the early ’90s, with a women’s group I was in. Nearly 35 years later, some of those women are still my dearest friends. This was my first glimpse at how support groups could help me through each stage of life, and help me feel better about what I was going through – less alone, less scared, more educated, and more connected.
The second impactful support group I was part of was the Deaf Moms. I joined because I wanted to figure out the best way to raise and support our deaf son and hearing daughter. It didn’t just serve the parents; it brought our children together. It was a pivotal group in my life.
I consider the wonderful women in my Quilting Guild as another support group of sorts. I joined it when I retired, and it’s become such a big part of my life. I couldn’t have gotten through cancer without my Quilting Guild. One of the quilters, Maureen, would drop off warm buns every Saturday. Another, Janice, brought over pies for my biggest supporter, my husband, when I was going through treatment. So many quilters fed us dozens of meals and became a lifeline during my breast cancer journey. And many of them have been through cancer themselves, so they understood, and many were retired nurses. But they didn’t just feed me physically, they fed me mentally too.
When I found out I had cancer, my first instinct was to look for a support group. I was delighted to discover the Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) workshop, which has been incredibly supportive. It provided some much-needed fun and encouragement while I was going through treatment. Most of my outings during treatment were to doctors’ appointments that left me feeling scared and anxious. How refreshing it was to have a positive, uplifting experience with LGFB. I enjoyed myself, I learned new skills, including eyebrow techniques and concealer application, and I left feeling more like myself again, instead of like Kim who has cancer. Even better, I made a new friend through the workshop.
I’ve recommended LGFB to so many people. It really was a joyful day. There was something really nice about doing a cancer-related activity with other women going through similar experiences that wasn’t scary. We weren’t doing chemo together. We were doing something uplifting, and something that was special, just for cancer patients.
Being in a group and a member of a community is an important part of our humanity. Getting support and also giving support – pulling someone else up after you’ve gone through the process yourself – are so rewarding. Whatever you give, you get back tenfold.
I know that finding a support group can seem daunting, especially if you have cancer and don’t want to see people – it’s not exactly a social time. But I strongly encourage everyone to get out of your comfort zone and to seek community. It’s okay if you’re not an extrovert like me. You don’t have to talk, if you don’t want to, at an LGFB workshop. You can just go and listen. What you could gain by attending could be absolutely enormous. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Life is better when you have a community. Together, we can get through the hard times, celebrate the good times, and share what we’ve learned along the way.
Right before my breast cancer diagnosis, I was in probably the best shape of my life. I couldn’t believe this happened. The people around me were shocked too. They were like, “Are you kidding me? You’re one of the healthiest people I know. How did this happen to you?” Who knows? We take all these steps to lead a healthy life, but there’s no rhyme or reason when it comes to cancer. Cancer is very mysterious. It lives within us.
I was hoping I’d only need surgery, but the tumour was larger than expected, and I ended up needing chemo too. I thought it was going to cause me a lot of harm. I was devastated and wished there was a better way. But I put all my trust in the doctors to do what was right for me, and I’m glad I did. I never googled anything because I didn’t want to find wrong information online, and I politely said “thanks but no thanks” to all the well-meaning people offering me unsolicited advice. I didn’t want fear-mongering, I didn’t want to hear about alternative treatments or the dangers of X-rays. I trusted my health care team and both the surgery and chemo went better than I could have ever dreamed.
I’ve been an elementary school teacher for 25 years, so I’m used to having a lot of structure in my life. I live by the bell. Being stuck at home while I was undergoing chemotherapy, with nowhere to be, was one of the hardest parts.
Having a good mindset and a routine – that sense of structure – really helped. I stayed positive, I kept moving forward. Family support and community connection were also huge parts of my healing. When my hair started falling out, one of my teenage sons shaved both my head and his own. We were both fully bald. That felt good, to do it together. My other son eventually shaved his, too. He had shoulder-length, wavy, surfer-style blonde hair, and off it all went. It was a big deal for him, and it felt monumental. He joined our little cancer solidarity group– and it meant the world to me. My caregiver circle also included Carly, who I used to mentor through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. She came all the way from England to support and advocate for me. My sister Marty and my close friend Janet also offered help and companionship.
The Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) workshop was part of my healing, too. There’s something about this “look” of cancer that felt impossible to escape. I could get away with my fake hair and a hat, but without eyebrows or eyelashes I just didn’t feel like myself, and my pale skin wasn’t helping either. It was making me avoid social interactions. I felt that people were uncomfortable around me – they didn’t know where to look or what to say. I signed up for LGFB thinking I’d learn how to paint on eyebrows. And I never quite mastered the eyebrows, but that workshop gave me such a positive vibe, with a long-lasting impact. All the women were laughing and sharing and listening. It was uplifting.
After my treatments, I also received support through a variety of programs. In addition to LGFB, I participated in expressive art, yoga, and mindfulness programs. Every form of support helped me in ways that I can’t explain.
This season of life won’t last forever. Soon my hair will grow back, I’ll be in the classroom again, and I’ll feel like myself. I’m still keeping myself busy at home – watching classic movies, rearranging my furniture, doing puzzles, making bone broth. I’m staying active – kayaking, biking, gardening, and participating in a 12-week fitness study for cancer patients through the University of Calgary. I’m waiting for a sense of normalcy to resume. And I’m getting to know the new me. I’m way more relaxed now and more accepting of what the world presents us with. I’ve come to understand that there is learning and growth in every experience, even if it can be hard to recognize at the beginning.
Living through breast cancer and attending a Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) workshop didn’t just impact me – they completely changed the course of my life.
I’ve always wanted to have a job that was in service of people, and to be able to be the bright spot in someone’s day. Last year, in my 50s, as a grandmother of four, I finally did it — nearly a decade after my initial breast cancer diagnosis. I reinvented myself. I quit my job, graduated from an aesthetics program, and started my own business.
Through my business, I offer facials and non-invasive treatments. I always include a facial massage, too. I want to give every single client a deeply relaxing, restorative experience.
The skincare and spa parts of my business were directly inspired by my journey with cancer and LGFB. When I was going through cancer, my skin was a mess. I didn’t feel beautiful or like myself. And I was starved for touch.
There were days I was in the hospital for my treatment and surgery when there was no personal touch – just doctors in and out, surgeons, and stitches. But there was nobody there to wash my back or clean my face. That impacted me quite a bit and left a mark. I was deeply inspired by my own unmet need for gentle, healing touch during treatment.
Now, through my facials, I can offer that same healing touch to others. Touch offers real connection and emotional healing. Just yesterday, a woman told me, “That was better than therapy!” I love that part of my work. I just want to be the best part of someone’s day. And I truly believe that touch is transformative – especially for women and moms. We’re always giving, always putting other people first. We need to receive, too. Seniors, single women, people experiencing illness – there’s a lot of loneliness out there, and caring touch can make all the difference.
Alongside starting my business, I’ve also begun to volunteer. I remember watching hospital volunteers during my treatment and seeing the positive impact they had. I felt the same attending an LGFB workshop. I always thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have the time to be able to volunteer?” But I was a single mother of five, and at that point in my life, there just wasn’t time.
Now that my youngest is off to university, I can finally give back. I’ve been volunteering at LGFB’s workshops in Kitchener-Waterloo, and I love it. It feels like such a full-circle moment. I was once sitting in that LGFB chair, and now I’m guiding others through the same transformation. It’s essentially a makeover in an hour. People arrive with slumped shoulders, feeling uncertain and tired. By the end of the workshop, they’re transformed. They’re happy, they’re refreshed. They’re making plans together. They feel like their old selves again. It’s so rewarding to see that. And I love teaching because these lessons are invaluable. I still use the eyebrow technique I learned 10 years ago at my LGFB session!
Through volunteering and running my business, I feel that I’m helping to redefine beauty and aging. After treatment, my hair grew back completely grey – and although it felt too soon to be grey, I embraced it. In fact, I got more compliments on my grey hair than I ever got on my brown hair. My greys, my scars – I embrace it all. I’m in the second act of my life, and it’s pretty amazing. I want to uplift other women going through similar changes.
I found out that I was positive for the BRCA2 gene in May of 2014 after my 94-year-old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was urged to get tested as there’s a history of pancreatic and prostate cancer on his side of the family and, sure enough, his test came back positive. I was sent to the high-risk clinic and made the decision to have my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed. A small tumour was found, and that was the beginning of a journey of more surgeries, chemotherapy, and a deep struggle with my mental health. I was frightened.
As a professional pianist, it was very important that I did everything possible during my chemotherapy to avoid neuropathy – tingling, pain, or even numbness in my hands and feet. After searching online and asking for advice from all the nurses and doctors who were treating me, I ended up using a very questionable and unproven preventative technique of holding ice packs in my hands during therapy. Thank goodness, it seemed to have worked.
Other side effects were more difficult to deal with. Prior to treatment I had a big, thick head of curly hair and, when it started falling out in the shower, it was very difficult. Losing my eyebrows and eyelashes was tough, too. I had fatigue, heartburn, ear infections, and a perforated ear drum, and a period of time where I was crying a lot. I comforted myself by reminding myself that things could always be worse. And I am so lucky to have had a wonderful support system: my amazing husband, dear friends who supported me daily with a meal train and phone calls, and my adult daughter and son, who called regularly and came in from Toronto and the UK to visit, lifting me up with their presence.
My treatment was isolating. I was told to treat this time as if I were in the COVID pandemic as I was immunocompromised. I couldn’t see anyone in person. I longed for some connection, and so attending the Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) workshop was a very welcome opportunity. I saw people in person there for the first time in months.
I attended because I wanted to have eyebrows. I was scheduled to be in a video that was being made about my parents’ architecturally designed home and this was for posterity. So I signed up with that singular purpose in mind.
What I found out was that LGFB is so much more than learning how to apply makeup. It nourished my soul, gave me hope for the future, and helped me feel like myself again – confident to face myself and others. I was struck by how positive the participants were and especially inspired by the facilitator, who shared with us that she was a cancer survivor of over 20 years. She had humour, vitality, and boundless energy – everything I was longing for. I removed my head covering there for the first time in public, baring my bald head, something I couldn’t even do in front of my husband. That was a feeling I can’t even describe. It took a lot of courage for me to do that. I left that session feeling positive, supported, and connected.
There can be silver linings to having cancer. It has forced me to look at life differently, to value friendships, family, and the little things in life and not let them pass me by. This journey puts life into perspective. It has given me an opportunity to reflect on my priorities and to make sure that I can make a difference in the world.
Last spring I attended my son’s graduation ceremony in London, England. And in the summer I hosted a thank-you party for all my beloved friends who supported me during my treatment. I was able to support a friend going through something similar with greater empathy. We will travel again. Life is short and unpredictable, and I want to make the most of it.
In this family of five sisters, the year 2025 will be marked by an unexpected and deeply shared experience. In the space of just a few months, three of them — Claudette, Ginette and Danielle — were diagnosed with breast cancer. Three different life paths, three different ages, but the same challenge that further strengthened their already solid bond.
Claudette, the eldest of the family, is 71 years old. In June 2025, her doctor informs her that the cancer that first appeared in 1993 has returned. This time, the tumour is rare and located in the nipple. Unfortunately, Claudette is no stranger to the disease: this diagnosis marks her fifth bout with cancer. Over the years, she has already battled three breast cancers, undergone a hysterectomy and been treated for a bladder tumour. She will face this new challenge with the experience and determination of someone who has already weathered several storms.
A month later, in July 2025, it is 66-year-old Ginette’s turn to receive the same news. For her, too, it is a recurrence. Her first breast cancer dates back to 1998. This time, she chooses a radical approach: even though only one breast is affected, she asks for both to be removed to avoid any future risk. She undergoes a total mastectomy in the autumn.
The youngest of the three sisters, 62-year-old Danielle, was actually the first to receive her diagnosis, in January 2025. On 7 March, she underwent a mastectomy of her right breast with reconstruction. Danielle is the youngest in the clan. “There are five girls in the family,” she explains. “And luckily, the other two are doing well.” Despite the difficulty of the situation, the three sisters find comfort in being able to go through this period together.
Amidst medical appointments and treatments, a simple initiative offered them a moment of respite and sharing. Danielle, who was already taking yoga classes at La Maison Main…Tenir L’espoir, heard about Look Good Feel Better. Intrigued, she decided to sign up and told her sisters about it. They liked the idea and chose to participate together.
For Claudette, this wasn’t her first experience of this kind. She had already attended a similar workshop in 1993 in Montreal. However, the workshop in Trois-Rivières was particularly touching for her, as she participated with her sisters. Ginette also attended a LGFB workshop on her own when she was first diagnosed in 1998.
As soon as they arrived, the three sisters rediscovered something precious: the joy of being together. “We don’t see each other often, so it was good for us,” says Danielle. The atmosphere quickly became friendly and filled with laughter.
The volunteers took the time to patiently and attentively guide each participant through simple personal care techniques: learning how to apply foundation, use concealer or redraw eyebrows. For some participants, these were new techniques to discover. For others, like Ginette, it was an opportunity to revisit advice she had received nearly thirty years earlier.
Claudette, for her part, is particularly concerned about her eyebrows, which she has lost. She feels unskilled at redrawing them and makes the group laugh when she jokes that she was afraid of looking like a clown. In a room with about eight women, each story is different, but they all share the same need for listening and support.
Danielle particularly appreciates the aspect of sharing and solidarity. Even if she does not necessarily use all the techniques she has learned, she values the advice she receives and the exchanges with the other participants. The conversations naturally broaden to include discussions about treatments, concerns, and everyday life.
For Danielle, these workshops play an essential role. “They give us hope and encourage us to take care of ourselves,” she explains. “Even when you’re going through illness, you can still take time for yourself.”
Beyond beauty tips, the three sisters have found a space where they feel understood. A place where they can talk freely, ask questions and meet other people who are going through the same thing. Danielle has also attended other workshops offered by LGFB and enjoys receiving their newsletter. She also wants to encourage her sisters to explore the various online workshops.
Today, they have agreed to share their story with one simple goal in mind: that their experience may be of use to others.
Three sisters, three journeys, one emotional year. But also three women who chose to go through this together—with courage, solidarity… and sometimes even a little humour, in front of a mirror, trying to draw the “perfect” eyebrow.
Getting cancer made me feel really alone in some ways. Like, no one else around me was losing their hair or going bald. Being bald made – still makes – me feel insanely unique. I didn’t know anyone my age going through cancer. I celebrated my 19th birthday at home, recovering from a tough round of chemo, while my friends headed out to bars to party and toast their 19ths. Having cancer was a lonely experience.
It was also such a shock. My entire family describes the day I got diagnosed with lymphoma as the most shocking day of our lives. Before, I was such a regular 18-year-old. I felt and seemed healthy. I went to the gym all the time – I was really into bodybuilding. I was in school studying hairdressing. I had a boyfriend. I had a part-time job. Like, so typical. I went from thinking my life was fine one day to being in the hospital the next. Getting chemo, losing my hair – it was all happening before I could register the shock.
My family has been so supportive through everything. I live with my parents and my two brothers, along with two bunnies and a dog. They’ve all been so great. My friends and cousin have also been so supportive. But no one really fully got what I was going through.
Going to a Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) workshop was one of the most helpful things for getting me to feel less lonely. I was nervous to go, but I’m so glad I did. My mom came with me. It was genuinely such a nice night out. Everyone was super nice and we all had some good laughs, like when no one knew I was wearing a wig and I just whipped it off. I was going through a hard time, and a lot of things sucked. Getting to go to a girls’ night, receiving free makeup, and having people help me was so awesome.
And the makeup was super fun. I’ve finished my treatment now, but I still don’t have my hair. Putting on both my wig and makeup helped me to feel prettier, and a bit more like myself. I don’t think I would’ve started wearing makeup if I hadn’t gone to the LGFB workshop. I like being able to put on my wig and makeup and to go out and feel OK. I was so scared to lose my hair, but it ended up being totally fine. I’m having fun with it and if anything, I feel more confident now because I have long, blonde, thick hair and when I go out, nobody really knows that it’s not mine. It’s true: when you look good, you do feel better.
Getting diagnosed so young has definitely been scary. I wonder, is this going to affect me for a long time? I’m sure it will, right? I think about the checkups I’ll need, the precautions I’ll have to take, the things I’ll have to consider.
But it’s also given me a different perspective on things. I’m really grateful for the simple things now. Going to a restaurant with friends, or for coffee, or to the movies, or for a walk – these moments are so special now. If there are little things that you enjoy, just do them, you know?
During National Volunteer Week, we celebrate the people whose hard work, generosity, and dedication make our programs possible.
Last year, more than 800 volunteers contributed 7,292 hours facilitating LGFB workshops in person at 80 locations across Canada and online—creating spaces where participants can reconnect with themselves, learn practical skills, and share meaningful moments with others who truly understand what they’re going through.
In the face of cancer, we help people feel more like themselves again by EDUCATING and EMPOWERING them to help manage the appearance-related impact of the disease and its treatment. By building and delivering our programs with EMPATHY and EQUITY, we reflect and respect the unique experiences of all.
Nobody embodies the mission of LGFB—or the four E’s—more than our network of passionate volunteers.
Education
LGFB volunteers bring professional expertise in skincare, makeup, hair and scalp care, and breast care—knowledge that many people undergoing treatment might not otherwise have access to. These highly skilled community leaders help participants manage the visible effects of cancer treatment with dignity and confidence.
Participants often share how these skills make a meaningful difference during a challenging time:
“It’s a lot to think about, but now I am starting to use some recommended products and strategies and gaining more confidence as a result.”
“The explanation of every step was excellent. There was no rush. I had lots of opportunities to ask questions and received many tips and suggestions on how and why to get particular items.”
“Excellent facilitators making everyone feel comfortable and amazing teachers for someone who wasn’t that comfortable with things such as eyeliner.”
Empowerment
Beyond practical skills, volunteers remind people going through cancer that self-care isn’t selfish and help them reconnect with their identity—something that can feel difficult during treatment.
“For the first time since I started this journey, I was able to relax and nurture my feminine self. This felt very healing.”
“This is a very low part of one’s life, so to have a few minutes to feel embraced, accepted, and build one’s confidence is so very important.”
“The organization name LGFB is so apt! It really makes you feel so good and special. I highly appreciate the kind of environment which was created. I loved everything about the session. Kudos to the whole team!”
Empathy
LGFB volunteers are trained to support people facing cancer and are experienced in communicating with compassion and understanding. Whether participants need a moment of laughter, a safe space to cry, or simply to feel heard, volunteers meet them exactly where they are.
“The workshop is what I needed to bring me out of the little rock I was hiding under. I feel much better about myself.”
“Sometimes you just need to forget about the cancer for a couple of hours.”
“I found the biggest benefit of the session was to be among others going through the same experience and have a bit of levity and fun during a difficult time.”
Equity
Whether workshops are offered in-person or online, LGFB volunteers work hard to cultivate welcoming spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and respected. Their commitment to inclusion ensures that participants from diverse backgrounds and experiences can access the information and support they need.
“I really appreciated the presenter’s information on wig alternatives for those of us who don’t wish to go the wig route.”
“I’m so happy for the things provided. I got makeup/foundation that matches my complexion—that was a big plus for me!”
“The ladies who conducted the workshop were very positive and reassuring. It really helped me to feel that I can get through this blip in my life.”
Look Good Feel Better workshops would simply not be possible without our incredible network of passionate, community-based volunteers. And there’s no better way to illustrate their impact than through the voices of LGFB participants themselves.
They are our leaders, connectors, and advocates across the country, bringing valuable expertise, warmth, and encouragement that make each workshop a place of learning, connection, and belonging.
This National Volunteer Week, we extend our deepest thanks and gratitude to every LGFB volunteer.
Your dedication gives people living with cancer a space to learn, reflect, and reclaim a sense of self.
On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and compassion of women everywhere. At Look Good Feel Better, we see that strength every day in the women navigating cancer who participate in our workshops, as well as in the caregivers—most often women—who stand beside them, and the health care professionals who provide compassionate care along the way. We are also deeply grateful for our community of volunteers, nearly all women, whose generosity and dedication help uplift patients with confidence, connection, and support throughout their cancer journey.
Here are a few thoughts we’d like to share this International Women’s Day.
“I am so proud that Look Good Feel Better is a national organization that sees, supports and empowers women. On International Women’s Day, I want to recognize that women are at the core of so much of what we do – they are workshop participants, volunteers, donors, supporters, caregivers, healthcare professionals and LGFB staff.”
—Susan Larkin
President and CEO, Look Good Feel Better
“When we mentor women, we don’t just give guidance — we gain a stronger, braver, more equitable future. Give your experience, your voice, your support — and you gain a community of women who are ready to lead.”
—Louanne McGrory
Board Chair, Look Good Feel Better
“This year’s International Women’s Day theme #GiveToGain, is more than a message — it’s a mandate. It speaks to a fundamental truth: generosity is a catalyst for equality.
When we give — our time, our mentorship, our influence, our advocacy — we are not giving something away. We are investing forward. We are multiplying opportunity. We are accelerating progress.
I’ve had the privilege of working alongside impactful organizations such as the Shoppers Drug Mart Foundation for Women’s Health, Go Further Women at Loblaw, and the Women’s Health Collective Canada — communities built on the belief that advancing women’s health and leadership is not a peripheral effort or initiative, but a societal imperative. These efforts prove that intentional collaboration creates sustainable, measurable change.
International Women’s Day is a call to action — at home, at work, and within our communities. Each of us has something to give. And when we give boldly and collectively, we don’t just support women — we reshape the future.
When women rise, the world rises with them.”
—Nneka Ezurike
Pharmacist, Pharmacy-Owner, Shoppers Drug Mart, Co-Founder, BBPC and International Speaker & Moderator
Before I was diagnosed with stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, I lived a very active lifestyle. I was at the gym all the time, doing cardio and strength training. I loved going out and socializing with friends. I had not only a full-time job, but also a side hustle. Type A personality? You bet. I didn’t get much sleep.
Once I got my diagnosis, everything completely changed. My life as I knew it just kind of blew up. But it has been replaced with something fantastic, which is that I’m now really focused on healing and wellness.
These days, I’m doing yoga, mindfulness meditation, and reflexology. I’m writing and listening to music. I’ve slowed down and I’m really living in the present now, and the benefits have been incredible. I’m getting so much more out of life because I’m living every day to the fullest. It may surprise you, but what inspired this new way of living was beauty.
Undergoing cancer treatment is a very unglamorous time for a woman. I no longer recognized myself. My hair had been long, thick, and healthy, but it started coming out in chunks. My skin was dry and breaking out with acne and rashes. I’d had all these procedures that resulted in scars and lots of little marks from the poking and prodding. And during chemo, certain things are restricted like manicures, pedicures, and hair colouring. I had started feeling really awful. I didn’t want to go out – I could feel the social isolation creeping in. And so when I found out about the Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) program, I thought, you know what, it can’t hurt to go. And it made such a difference.
When I arrived at the LGFB workshop, I was warmly greeted by the volunteers hosting the program and the other ladies attending. That alone made me realize, hey, I’m not in this by myself. Talking and laughing with the other women, and getting all these great hair and makeup tips, gave me a real boost.
I was given a bag of makeup and the items were just perfect. I especially loved this bright pink lipstick and a beautiful rose-coloured blush. I was suffering from chemo-induced anemia and looking really pale, and these items brought a much-needed pop of colour to my face.
LGFB was the first program that I was well enough to attend, and it was the first time in my cancer journey that I felt seen, welcomed, and socially connected. It was very powerful. The workshop opened up a lot for me. When I was going out afterwards, I felt like a piece of my former self had returned. I didn’t feel self-conscious anymore. I even started getting compliments!
The boost I got from the LGFB workshop was what started my interest in pursuing health and wellness activities. I shifted from a high-pressure, goal-focused lifestyle to one centered on healing, presence, and wellness.
I’ve really learned to slow down and enjoy every single day. There’s so much joy in living in the present. It’s very healing. I find joy and gratitude in so many things: the sun shining, a walk through the neighbourhood, a call from a friend, or snuggling with my adorable cat Marge Simpson. Having cancer completely changed my entire life. Surprisingly, it’s not all negative. I feel so blessed.
With February marking Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Month, sharing my story feels especially important right now. I want other people facing a stage 4 diagnosis to have hope, knowing it’s not necessarily the end. And I hope that every woman facing cancer will have the opportunity to experience an LGFB workshop.