Volunteers giving back to patients
Helpers from the Tokoroa community pulled together to help make cancer patients look and feel good while going through tough times.
The programme was sponsored by the Lions group and run by Robin Creighton, who led discussion and walked the volunteers through applying make-up.
Retail worker Karen Mason spent the morning at the Tokoroa Event Centre helping people with cancer.
The day consisted of meeting new people, getting make-up done, and talking about wigs and wraps.
‘‘The make-up lasted about two hours, just in case some of the ladies got tired,’’ Mason said.
The day started with the volunteers introducing themselves to one of the five ladies that turned up, then the make-up began, starting with cleansing the face and applying products.
‘‘I found the talk about skincare very interesting,’’ Mason said. ‘‘And what chemotherapy and medication does to the skin and how well you need to look after it.’’
Mason worked with Dianne Butler who recently overcome breast cancer after being diagnosed last November.
After Butler found out she had cancer she remained positive throughout her treatment.
‘‘I am lucky, there are people out there who have lost breasts,’’ she said.
‘‘My story is only a small amount of what some people have been through.’’
‘‘It was daunting going in there with no make-up on, but afterwards I felt really good and it did make me feel good because I learnt some new things.
‘‘The cool thing was, the makeup that was used we got to keep.’’
All the products that were used on the ladies were donated by companies such as Elizabeth Arden, Revlon and L’ore´al, and gifted to the ladies that took part.
‘‘I walked away feeling really good about myself, and felt like I did have a lot of help,’’ she said.
The Look Good Feel Better programme has always been held in Hamilton in the past, and for the first time has come to Tokoroa.
The next Look Good Feel Better days will be held on August 3 and December 7.