A national program that helps people with cancer manage the visible effects of treatment is returning to in‑person workshops at the Dr. Léon‑Richard Oncology Centre.
The Look Good Feel Better program offers free sessions designed to help participants cope with changes such as hair loss and skin effects caused by cancer treatment.
The first in‑person session is scheduled for October 20 at the oncology centre in Moncton.
The workshops also provide a chance to connect with others going through similar experiences.
Charles Allain, manager of volunteer services with Vitalité Health Network, said the sessions are about more than appearance.
“Sometimes you do lose your identity with cancer treatments. You look at the mirror and you don’t look like yourself, and you don’t see yourself.
And a big part of this is to help people find themselves again and face these treatments with their head held high,” he said.
Allain said volunteers have seen participants leave the workshops feeling uplifted and more confident. He added that the sessions are not about glamour but about restoring self‑image.
“This is all about finding your true self again and recognizing yourself…it’s not a makeup session, the makeup is the tool used to help you gain that confidence again,” he said.
Participants receive a complimentary kit of skin care and cosmetic products to support what they learn during the session.
Allain said the real value comes from the peer support and the chance to share experiences with others.
The program has been offered in Moncton for more than 20 years through a partnership with Vitalité Health Network.
It was suspended during the COVID‑19 pandemic, which Allain said was a difficult loss for patients and staff.
While the Moncton workshops are currently for women, Look Good Feel Better also offers virtual sessions for men and teens.
Allain said those sessions were added in response to questions over the years from people looking for support with issues such as hair loss or shaving.
He acknowledged that one of the challenges is encouraging people to attend when they already face many medical appointments.
“We understand if people going through cancer have appointment after appointment … but I hope people will see this as worth the energy and as giving yourself a gift,” he said.
