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Dani Dunne - UK lifestyle blog
Hello my lovelies!

I am delighted to feature my very first guest post, by the lovely Jackie Clark (@jakieClrk) . The topic is feeling beautiful in the face of cancer, and as you all know this is a subject that is quite close to home for me! I hope you enjoy!

Cancer is a devastating diagnosis, whether it be pancreatic, or related to the development of mesothelioma from asbestos exposure, cancer, and the treatment therefore, takes a toll on one’s self esteem.

In this regard, especially in the case of a woman, it can be very difficult to deal with the side effects of cancer treatment. As we all know, aside from a consistent nausea, hair loss as side effect of chemotherapy that is a hard thing to deal with. That is why it is important for a woman who suffers from this disease to maintain her self-esteem despite the devastating side effects of the medication. In this regard, it is imperative that a woman adapt to the temporary changes of her appearance.

In coping with the side effects of the medication and radiation, there are various things that may be done to boost ones confidence. For instance, in the case of perfume, it is not merely something used for the benefit of others; it can also serve as a type of “aromatherapy” for the patient. The effects of aromatherapy are well documented and have been proven to enhance mood and composure.

Another important factor in making a woman continue to feel beautiful during her treatment is that of makeup and fashion. In the category of makeup, a little concealer and lip gloss go a long way. A cancer patient may use a bit of blush to brighten her cheeks when feeling frail and peaked. As for fashion, it serves to help with everything from flattering a figure that may be somewhat emaciated, to providing color therapy.

Color therapy is type of “complimentary medicine” that is used in conjunction with traditional Western medical treatments to help a patient cope with, and heal from, the disease they have been diagnosed with. It is thought that the color red stimulates blood flow, while the color blue calms it. The color yellow is thought to calm inflammation. Therefore, fashion can be used as something therapeutic on certain occasions, and a diagnosis of cancer is one of these. Whether it is that little black dress, or the pair of gorgeous heels, fashion is most definitely a way to boost a mood when one feels badly. From that new shade of lipstick, to those lipstick red boots, there are various ways in which one may feel beautiful even if they are ill.


So much of this rings true! I can acutely remember the day I sat down in that salon and watched the stylist cut off the remaining strands left on my head. I really became aware of my face on its own, the shape, how my features settled into it, the size of my ears...  I think that was the moment I began to appreciate the severity of my illness. Up until then it had been easy to convince myself there was nothing truly wrong with me, but seeing myself looking the way a cancer patient "should" really drove home the fact that I was seriously ill. It was incredibly depressing and difficult facing other people looking the way I did then - my sister burst into tears the first time she saw me without hair and unfortunately that set the tone for everyone else! - and it was difficult facing myself too.

However,  I found solace in make-up; when I lost my hair I lost my brows and most of my lashes too, so turned to dramatic eyeliner and bright blusher to try and make myself feel somewhat feminine and pretty. I also began wearing more skirts and dresses in a bid to balance out my cropped hair with feminine touches, with headscarves, headbands and long dangly earrings to finish off the look. Sometimes life forces you to experiment with your style, and this experience certainly shaped my current penchant for flicked eyeliner and 50s dresses! In this day and age it is such a struggle to feel beautiful in normal circumstances, so it does become incredibly difficult when you don't look as though you fit in, when people stare at you in the street and whisper about you behind your back, when your skin is ravaged and your hair gone.

But it takes a certain kind of strength to rise above this and make the best of what you have and I really believe this is the true beauty of the thing: it is not what you look like, but how you act in the face of such a terrifying evil. 

xoxo


 
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Dani - 31 - London/Essex

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