While being forced to fight cancer isn’t pretty, women who are battling the disease are still beautiful and can increasingly find more resources to help them feel more beautiful despite the toll that the disease and its treatments can take on one’s appearance. Sanford Health, a system of health providers in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, recently opened Bloom the Boutique, which provides free, personalized wigs for women who have lost their hair after undergoing chemotherapy. In addition, the boutique also carries clothing, scarves, hats, little luxuries like bodywash and perfume, and would like to eventually expand to carry makeup products as well.

In an interview with the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, Lisa Hjermstad, the health promotions coordinator for the American Cancer Society in Sioux Falls, stated,
“It just helps a patient feel better if their appearance is better…Once they restore their appearance, their self-esteem - through the use of wigs, turbans, hats and makeup - obviously goes up.”

Lori M. Ovitz, a professional makeup artist for over 20 years, embraced this same idea when she decided to volunteer at Chicago cancer centers and offer workshops and private makeup sessions to women struggling with the effect of cancer on their appearance. In her book, Facing The Mirror With Cancer: A Guide To Using Makeup To Make A Difference, Ovitz provides makeup techniques, tips, and tricks specifically geared towards helping women “maintain control over the temporary changes to [their] skin, hair, and nails that can occur during cancer treatment and beyond.” Now that’s makeup moxie.

You can visit Lori Ovitz’s website at: http://www.facingthemirror.org/

According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States — half of all men and a third of all women will develop cancer in their lifetimes. To learn more, get involved, or make a donation, please check out the following sites:

• American Cancer Society
• National Breast Cancer Foundation
• Breastcancer.org