WALCE (Women Against Lung Cancer in Europe) and make-up program

for women diagnosed with cancer E. Capelletto1, M.V. Pacchiana1, F. Pacetti1 , S. Demichelis1, M. Longo1 S.G. Rapetti1, T. Vavalà1, B. Crida1 , R. Ronchetta2, S. Novello1

1University of Turin, AOU San Luigi/Italy, 2WALCE/Italy

BACKGROUND

2006: “Look good..Feel better” in Italy as “La forza e il sorriso – L.G.F.B. Italia

2009: WALCE began its collaboration with La forza e il sorriso – L.G.F.B. Italia offering the service to many local cancer centers and institutes in Piedmont-Italy

The communication of diagnosis and therapeutic aspects of cancer

can lead to a series of extremely stressful and frightening events,

that cause both patients and their relatives to suffer emotionally.

Psychological distress in cancer patients has been estimated at a

range between 20% and 50%. Depression and anxiety are related

to poor quality of life in all its shapes and forms, including the

physical-side. There is also a considerable amount of data showing

a correlation between the outcome of cancer treatment and

suffering from diminished self-esteem.

The Look Good ... Feel Better® is an worldwide

free make-up workshop programme

for women diagnosed with cancer and who are undergoing

chemotherapy, radiotherapy or other cancer treatments.

The programme is carried out in local hospitals and offers free

make-up workshops, which are strictly non-medical. The ladies

receive a gift-filled beauty bag containing brand-neutral products.

The aim is to help women regain self-confidence and

esteem, improve quality of life by using beauty techniques

to enhance looks and improve appearances which may

have suffered due to the related side effects of the cancer

therapy.

RESULTS

CONCLUSIONS

Have you learnt useful advice?

2%

98%

YES

I don’t know

Do you like the result?

37%

63%

0%

Enthusiastic

Satisfied NO

Meeting other ladies in similar situation was it positive?

78%

22%

During the session have you forgotten your disease?

86%

14%

YES

NO

From March 2009 to December 2010 WALCE have organised • 34 make-up workshops of “La forza e il sorriso – L.G.F.B. Italia” at the St

Luigi Hospital (Orbassano, Turin-Italy)• 248 ladies attended the free make-up workshops

• guided by 7 voluntary beauticians • with support of a psycho-oncologist.

6% had a diagnosis of lung cancer and

the majority were aged between 50-60 yrs old

YES

NO

The Look Good ... Feel Better® is currently active in 22 countries worldwide

METHODS

Everyone filled-in an anonymous beauty-workshop evaluation questionnaire. • 63% were enthusiastic, while 37% were greatly satisfied with the results• 98% declared to have learnt useful advice whereas 2% were a little doubtful• 86% of the ladies did not think about their illness during the event• It was expressed, by an overall 78%, as a positive experience to meet other ladies having similar disease

Adjectives used to describe their feelings at the end of the work-shop were: beautiful, happy, more positive, prettier and attractive.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

30-40 yrs 40-50 yrs 50-60 yrs over 60

Age of the participants:

Orbassano (Turin) St Giovanni Battista Hospital – TurinSt Giovanni Hospital Antica Sede – Turin

Candiolo –TurinTurin

UKUK

CHCH

AustraliaAustraliaSouth AfricaSouth Africa

IsraeIsraell

ArgentinaArgentina

UruguayUruguay

PolandPoland

ChilChilee

New New ZealandZealand

EquadoEquadorr

USAUSA

CanadCanadaa

Ireland Ireland

ColombiaColombia

NorwaNorway y

FranceFranceItalyItaly

Sweden Sweden

SingaporeSingapore

NLNL DD

Cancer patients tend to cope better with the illness and daily-life when self-confidence and esteem is regained. The sense of well-being shared in a

relaxed atmosphere and acknowledging social, emotional and psychological needs, whilst being amongst other ladies who have the same fears or

anxieties, has proven to be an incentive to fight-against cancer.In next workshops a more detailed evaluation on patients’ interpersonal relationships, on their psychological aspects and the impact on disease

outcomes will be planned.

REFERENCES

• Pikler VI, Brown C: Cancer Patients’ and Partners’ Psychological Distress and Quality of Life: Influenceof Gender Role. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 28:43–60, 2010

• Honda K, Goodwin R: Cancer and mental disorders in a national community sample: Findings from the national comorbidity survey. Psychotherapyand Psychosomatics, 73: 235–242, 2004

• Tuinstra J, Hagedoorn M, Van Sonderen E et al: Psychological distress in couples dealing with colorectal cancer: Gender and role differences and intracouple correspondence. British Journal of Health Psychology, 9: 465–478, 2004

• Fife B, Kennedy V, Robinson L: Gender and adjustment to cancer: Clinical implications. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 12: 1–21, 1994

• Phillips C: Images, femininity and cancer: an analysis of an international patient education programme. Health, 13: 67, 2009