This is my first entry in a very long time. The space that I find myself in currently, makes it difficult to be inspired to write. But Friday 14 June 2024, God stirred something in my spirit, to write about an encounter I had, an event I attended.
I am currently busy with radiation at Pinehaven hospital in Krugersdorp. 32 sessions were prescribed by the Oncologist. For 32 business days, which works out to six and a half weeks, we have to travel from our house in Skeerpoort to Krugersdorp. As expected, I started to dread the travelling up and down. I realise again, that I am not built for travelling on a daily basis. Of course I would feel like this, I have been working for myself for 20 years, from home, so I am unfit when it comes to travelling, if I can put it like that.
Wednesday 12 June 2024, one of the therapists, that assists with positioning me for the treatment, mentioned about an event that is hosted by a non-profit organisation, will be taking place on Friday 14 June 2024. It is for 2 hours, from 9 to 11. I gathered from our conversation, that it has something to do about make-up and a support for patients that are going through a cancer diagnosis and treatment. I still did not quite get what it was about but decided in any event to attend.
For a fleeting moment I wondered whether I should go without make-up, because I gathered that it is about make-up, but I decided against that thought. Because, my oh my, if I arrive without make up, it will really look like there is something wrong with me (said with my tongue in my cheek)….so here I was, going for my 30th session of radiation (yes, can you believe that it is session 30 already? By the time it was session 3, I never thought that number 30 would arrive, but anyway). Before the session, the therapists and I pose for our usual photos (all the while being grateful that I decided to put make up on, because everyone would have had the skrik of their lives to see me without it).
For some or another reason, the list for treatments was running late and I was late attending the session. Upon arrival, I noticed that it is a small, intimate group of 4 ladies, including myself. Christie from Look Good Feel Better, proceeded with the session and she starts by telling a story of a patient that was under the care of an Oncologist, and this patient was just not getting better. The doctor, later, out of desperation for his patient’s well-being, went to his receptionist, asking her for her lipstick. The patient put the lipstick on and when she saw herself in the mirror, she smiled for the first time.
This hit home, because I realise that looking better has a bigger impact on one’s mental state of mind. Because, true as it is, you also feel better. While Christie was talking, my thoughts wandered a bit, and I realised that is WHY I wore make-up through my journey (not that it was the first-time wearing make-up, I always wore make-up, I just made a point of it to focus on my own appearance during chemo). THIS is why I felt that if I look better, I may just start feeling better spiritually and mentally, in spite of what was going on in my body at that stage.
My thoughts were interrupted with the presentation that was busy happening, right in front of me. I realised I must focus on it, that is why I am attending it in the first place. When Christie said she was going to show us how to make-up ourselves, my instincts were to say No thank you, I know I am capable of putting make-up on better than today (I was just not wanting to pull out all my make-up brushes to do proper make-up and I reverted to the basic light make-up with eye liner and mascara). But I decided against it. I did not want to be the spoil sport.
Without water, with cleanser and a wipe, I removed my make up. I warned everyone that I may just look like the lead singer of some or another heavy metal band, with my mascara that will be stuck under my eyes. Thankfully I was able to remove all the make-up and start over in this class. At some stage, Christie got a bit frustrated with the make-up sponges that was supplied in the goodie bag, pulling out her brushes and proceeding to make-up everyone. I could feel her pain, because I could never do proper make-up on my face with those sponges!
Jokes were made, we laughed and even joked with some ladies that they look so fêncy they may just find a rich husband. For a moment, we forgot what we have gone through and are still going through. We heard from Christie that the non-profit organisation received a lot of sponsorships before 2020, much more than what they have today, which resulted in much more products being sponsored in the past. Apparently more than what we received (and may I just add, we did not receive only a few products!). But like anyone knows, the pandemic had its impact here too. They still have sponsors, but not like before. The institution is totally dependent on sponsorships, in any form. To ensure that the organisation could continue to exist, Christie resigned as a director and found a full-time job.
Another lady, Yvette (who I must still meet in person), took over as director and in this manner, they ensured that their overhead costs can be reduced so that the organisation can continue to exist. From what I understood from our conversations, they are also dependent on volunteers to assist with certain tasks. It sounds to me like Christie is one of them. She accumulates her lunch hours that she works in at her full-time job, which she exchanges to present days like these.
This hit me deep and hard, that people still, in spite of their own challenges, make time and plans to assist others that are going through something like cancer. Christie herself is a survivor of breast cancer, I am not sure about the other people involved in the institution, but I believe there must be some or another connection with cancer that they connected with, that resulted in them becoming involved.
From my side, I want to thank everyone involved with Look Good Feel Better, for the good work that they do. Thank you that you confirmed to me that I was not crazy to put on make-up while I received chemotherapy. Thank you that you confirmed to me, that which God laid on my heart to do, in terms of make-up, that I will feel better when I look better. Thank you that you confirmed that I do not have to look like death dawned up on me while going through something like this, and that which I did for myself was not out of vanity, but rather self-preservation (yes, the devil tried to make me believe that I was vain to put on make-up and trying to look good without hair).
I want to challenge everyone that is reading this article, to make a contribution in whichever way possible. Whether you have time to give or are in a position to contribute financially or even donate products, just do it. Don’t have second thoughts about it. It all contributes to a bigger and better purpose and makes a difference in people’s lives. Like they say, a little bit goes a long way. Of course I got Christie out of her comfort zone, by taking selfies with her and even making a funny face. Christie, Yvette – keep up with the good work. There are so many women out there that needs to hear what you have to say in terms of their appearance. While a woman is caught up in this diagnosis, treatments and who knows what else, a session like this is like a ray of light, a little piece of hope and something to look forward to that can be preserved in your heart, a good memory that was made.
