I was a participant at the Look Good Feel Better roadshow held outside Mitre 10 in Tauranga on May 31. It was a great experience, the volunteer makeover demonstrators not only make us look good, they showed us how to maintain the look. The many companies which donated the make-up and skincare and other products, just blessed us.
Cancer needs to be a health issue that everyone should feel comfortable talking about as it demystifies it. When we are diagnosed with cancer it is scary, being able to talk to people about it helps us ‘normalise' our treatment.
Yes people do die from cancer, but not talking about cancer does not help us.
If you don't know what to say to your partner, family member, friend, etc – all you need to do is, say to them: ‘Is there anything I can do for you?' ‘How can I be there for you?' The person with cancer will tell you.
If you can't do that, you could write a card.
L Allwood, Tauranga City.
2 comments
I too have taken part in this
Posted on 10-06-2016 10:08 | By Cydifor
I also have the Big C and have been to one of these sessions and came away feeling fabulous. I have nothing but praise for the health system we have here in NZ as I was in the public health system within 4 days of a diagnosis of a very aggressive cancer which I will never be cured of but am being treated. 6 months after ending chemo it is returning but I can be treated again and I feel fine, am back at work. I meet so many people who have or have had it so no bogies about it. It affects one family in 3 so is very relevant. Thank you L. Allwood for your letter
So true.....
Posted on 11-06-2016 10:10 | By groutby
Cancer is and remains for so many an "unspoken subject", the huge mental stress on the person having been just diagnosed cannot be described (yes I can talk from experience), and to have someone ask exactly the question in the last paragraph of the article means so much, even if realistically there is little they can do, just to know someone has offered and cares is so uplifting, it can be awkward when you know everyone around you talks to each other about it and yet not the person with the illness! Good luck to you Cydifor and L Allwood thank you for penning the letter.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.