survivorship and patient services

Volunteer making a difference through Look Good...Feel Better program
The success of the Look Good...Feel Better (LGFB) program rests on the shoulders of a dedicated nationwide team of almost 10,000 volunteers donating well over 40,000 hours of time a month. These volunteers provide their remarkable insights, creativity, enthusiasm, and dedication to make the program a meaningful experience to so many.

Look Good...Feel Better - in partnership with the American Cancer Society - is a free, non-medical, brand-neutral, national public service program founded in 1989, that teaches female cancer patients beauty techniques to help restore their appearance and self-image during chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Heather Boger of Vincennes, Indiana has been a volunteer cosmetologist with Look Good...Feel Better for about a year now. "I have a God gifted talent in cosmetology, so I decided that I’d like to do more for the community and for people that are undergoing cancer [treatment], and try to help them as much as I can."

All volunteer cosmetologists are trained and certified for LGFB locally by the American Cancer Society and participate in annual update courses. Volunteer beauty professionals like Heather lead small groups, usually consisting of six to ten women, through practical, hands-on experience.

At Look Good...Feel Better, women learn about makeup techniques, skincare, nail care, and options related to hair loss such as wigs, turbans, and scarves. Each group program participant receives a free kit of cosmetics for use during and after the workshop.

"We just sit down and go through with them the different ways to approach putting makeup on. [We explain that] you don’t have to do it just to look pretty, but also to fit in and to feel as normal as possible. We also discuss that by step, explaining what each thing in the packet is for."

Heather decided to get involved with the program because of the impact a young girl had on her when she was in high school. "[This girl] was diagnosed with cancer at a very young age so she’s never had any hair. She still to this day doesn’t, and she’s going to turn 11 in October. But [I watched her] go through the hardest fight in cancer that a person can, and she survived it. And so, with the hope that she had, I kind of wanted to carry that on and share her story with other people."

Heather also participates in beauty pageants. She has been running for Miss Vincennes University for two years. The pageant requires a platform, something that the contestant does as a hobby, or ways that they help in their community. "It was perfect because my everyday platform, not just for beauty pageants, but my everyday platform is Look Good...Feel Better," said Heather. She has won two community service awards through the pageant.

Heather loves to give back. "Whenever you have a talent in life that you can help people that are struggling, do it...it’s so worth it." To find out about classes being held in your area, or more about how you can get involved with the Look Good...Feel Better program, call your American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.LookGoodFeelBetter.org.