Beneficiary

Look Good Feel Better

115 Supporters

Raised

$46,569.25

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31
$291
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Brenda McAuley
2nd Year
$285
33
$254
34
Caitlin Bardsley
4th Year
$243
35
Layla Scerri
3rd Year
$235
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Liz Tolevski
2nd Year
$235
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Louise Hann
2nd Year
$233
38
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39
$208
40
$200

Fundraising For

Funds raised this Dry July will help fund free workshops to help with managing the most common physical and psychological impacts of treatment

About Us

Look Good Feel Better is a free, national community service program, run by the Cancer Patients Foundation. The program has been designed to help cancer patients learn practical strategies to manage the physical, psychological and social impacts of cancer treatment. Since the first workshop in Sydney in May 1990, more than 180,000 women, men and teens undergoing cancer treatment across Australia have benefitted from participating.

Three services are offered as part of the Look Good Feel Better program – Face-to-Face workshops, Virtual Workshops and Home-Delivered Confidence Kits. These services have been developed with the purpose of empowering those undergoing cancer treatment by equipping them with the practical skills and knowledge needed to face their cancer diagnosis with confidence.

The Cancer Patients Foundation, responsible for running the Look Good Feel Better program, is an independent not-for-profit organisation, not affiliated with any other cancer charity or support service. With no government funding, the Cancer Patients Foundation relies on the generosity of corporate and community supporters to ensure all Australians have access to the program, free-of-charge.

Latest Updates


How Look Good Feel Better helped Kirsten after her cancer diagnosis

My little family immigrated to Australia five years ago from Johannesburg. My husband, two beautiful girls - aged 8 and 7 - and I love our life in Sydney and we spend our time exploring its beaches, restaurants, museums and cafes. We enjoy a healthy, outdoor lifestyle as much as possible.

When my doctor discovered a lump during a routine yearly check-up, it was the last thing I had expected. I had a good fitness regime, I was feeling really healthy and was getting stronger and fitter - I never got sick. An ultrasound led to a mammogram, which led to a biopsy, which came back as a cancer diagnosis. I was shocked and scared – how could I have breast cancer at 34 years of age? With no family history?

I had surgery and it was considered a success, but as my cancer had spread to my lymph nodes, I needed to undergo a course of chemotherapy. This of course meant losing my hair. My nurse suggested I attend a Look Good Feel Better workshop to help me learn some useful ways to manage the changes I was experiencing to my appearance. While I was offered practical guidance about make-up and skin care, I was really interested in mastering head coverings and found the advice on scarves and scarf styling invaluable. Mostly though, it was really beautiful to connect with other women in a similar position and I felt so encouraged by the lovely volunteers.

I am very much a changed person. I went from being an extremely energised, fit and strong independent woman to a frail, sickly, fatigued person who needed help all the time. But I try to stay positive because life happens and you’ve got to adjust and work with the direction it’s sending you in. We all chant these mantras, that whatever life throws at you, you’ve got to make the most of it. And my experience has taught me that you have to still live. You have to still find the joy in every day.

Jill - Look Good Feel Better Participant from Dubbo, NSW

"Earlier this year, life as I knew it changed completely. I was diagnosed with cancer.

I am a 54-year-old mother of three adult children and grandmother to three grandchildren. Before my diagnosis, my life revolved around family but I also worked as a full-time Human Resources Manager which kept me very busy. We live on a five-acre block in Dubbo with a beautiful garden which takes up many pleasurable hours of work.

My initial reaction worried my doctor because I really just sat there silently trying to absorb my new reality, while my head was racing in turmoil. He kept asking if I had any questions, but I didn’t know what I wanted or needed to know. I really just wanted the time to take it in and think on my own.

Before long I came out of my fog enough and organised to see a specialist surgeon and my breast care nurse mentioned the Look Good Feel Better workshop to me. I had also heard about it through friends in the community. My sister encouraged me to go along and have some fun with it.

Prior to being ill I used to do a full hair and make-up routine daily, even on weekends! My appearance had changed so much, I felt that attending the workshop might give me some tips to cope with this. I also thought it might be good to have some fun with other ladies who would be feeling the same way.

Sure enough I went along and there were a lot of positives about the workshop, the amount of information covered, the quality of products we used – and the fact we could take them home! But mostly, I appreciated the caring nature of the volunteers who ran the workshop – they were all very naturally gentle and kind people who made me feel very welcome and comfortable. They were honest and funny, relaxed and helpful.

The workshop renewed my interest in putting on make-up and that made me feel better and more confident when I went out in public. I became less worried about my bald head and have become more accepting of my appearance through seeing so many other ladies going through what I was on the day. It was actually the very first time I had allowed anyone else to see me in my bald state.

I was surprised to find out that Look Good Feel Better provides this service for free and can only do this because of people like you who donate and support the program.

I would recommend Look Good Feel Better to others going through treatment for cancer. It’s an opportunity to have fun, but it also reminds you that you are not alone and gave me something besides the words “cancer” to focus on. I would encourage you to please make a donation today and ensure Look Good Feel Better can continue its work right around Australia.

Since my diagnosis, I really can’t believe how much time and effort goes into just handling things each day. Right from dealing with surgery, waiting on test results, trying to remain positive and healthy, to starting chemotherapy and dealing with so many side-effects and challenges that this treatment has hit me with.

 Look Good Feel Better helped me find the confidence I had lost and I urge you to please make a donation today and help make a difference to women like me.”

85 New Workshops Across Australia

Look Good Feel Better is dedicated to teaching cancer patients how to manage the appearance-related side-effects caused by cancer treatment. Women, men and teens participate in a practical workshop which covers skincare, make-up and headwear demonstrations, leaving them empowered and ready to face their cancer diagnosis with confidence.

Funds raised through Dry July 2016 will go towards providing 85 additional workshops across Australia. These 85 workshops will directly support over 1100 people with cancer.  

Though the workshops are delivered by volunteers with donated supplies, costs to be covered still include:

-Postage and freight of kits to workshops across the country each week.

- Collateral and promotion of workshops to cancer patients.

- Volunteer and staff expenses to run and facilitate workshops (such as travel costs).

- Workshop supplies e.g. aprons, mirrors, instructional booklet to take home, make up pads and applicators etc.

About Our Workshops

Each Look Good Feel Better workshop costs approximately $1000 to run and supports between 12-15 participants who are undergoing cancer treatment.

Each year over 1000 workshops are held across Australia in both rural and metropolitan locations and support over 10,000 people. 

Through the support of Dry July, we hope to raise over $20,000 to help us provide at least 20 confidence building workshops to people undergoing cancer treatment across the country.

Meet Helen, a Look Good Feel Better participant

Register for a Workshop

If you are currently undergoing treatment for cancer or know someone who is and would like to attend one of our workshops, please register online or call on 1800 650 960.