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Advice From Women Who Know: Survey Shares More
Than Stats
by Stacey Resnikoff
While cancer and its treatment can impact women
with “life-changing” force, patients have answers on
how to take charge, says an important new survey.
National research for “A
Look Good…Feel Better Survey: Treatment and Its Impact on
Cancer Survivors’ Quality of Life” — commissioned
by Look Good…Feel Better and conducted by Harris Interactive
— uncovered virtually universal concerns among women of all
ages with various types of cancer. And it also generated candid
advice for patients and doctors.
“Seventy-eight percent of women report some
appearance-related changes during treatment, such as hair loss or
skin discoloration. A dramatic 83 percent felt it had an unwelcome
impact on their quality of life,” says Personal Care Products Council Foundation Vice
President Carolyn Deaver. “And more than half of them —
55 percent — were initially fearful their lives would never
return to normal. Those are pretty powerful numbers.”
The Look Good/Feel Better Effect
Deaver says this heavy emotional burden — described by one
woman as “a desperate blur” — can be lightened
through the professional advice and supportive atmosphere of Look
Good…Feel Better (LGFB) group programs. In fact, the survey
found that 86 percent of women in treatment credit looking better
with feeling better. Seven out of 10 said keeping up their appearance
gives them more confidence to cope.
The random sample of women, surveyed by Harris,
provided a resounding reaffirmation of Look Good…Feel Better’s
14-year-old mission. The program includes free group sessions with
professional cosmetologists, helping women offset skin and hair
changes with expert techniques. Results aren’t just outward,
but inward as well, according to breast cancer survivor Dr. Carolyn
Runowicz.
“Women have an image of themselves and (the
program) puts back that image,” says Runowicz, vice chair
of the OB/GYN department at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital
in New York and a national board member of the American Cancer Society.
“It gets their life back for them.” (See Before/After
for details.)
The survey also revealed that the “look
good/feel better” effect may be especially impactful among
working women, 59 percent of whom want to maintain their typical
look during and after treatment. “Career is a strong foundation
for many women — so it’s not surprising that presentation
at the workplace is such a hot button,” says Deaver.
Support is Key
Equally important to quality of life, said the women, is an atmosphere
of support — especially since relationships with friends,
spouse, siblings and children are noticeably affected. (Eighty percent
of women remarked that friendships are rocked, while 73 percent
said the relationship with their husband or significant other was
impacted.)
In fact, women spoke virtually as one on the topic
of support groups and peer dialogue, encouraging women to seek these
out — and doctors to make diverse options clear. More than
three-fourths of women agreed, “physicians should recommend
support programs.”
“It’s important to give patients many options of support
and let them choose what is important,” said one woman. Another
called for doctors to detail support options, rather than just mention
they exist, “because when you are told (you have cancer) you
don’t think of these things.”
Other patients elaborated on the one-to-one connection:
“Get in touch with other cancer patients immediately —
they are a wealth of information and support, “ advised one
woman. “Talk to someone of similar lifestyle — age,
family status, et cetera — a peer who has experienced a similar
diagnosis and treatment,” added another.
Nearly half of the women polled (47 percent) said
they feel people treat them differently since their diagnosis, making
opportunities to be among other cancer patients — the only
ones who understand the “emotional roller coaster ride”
— so welcome.
Words of Wisdom
While the ultimate goal of the survey was to quantify “quality
of life” issues among cancer patients, the anecdotal advice
and personal reflections women offered have proven a powerful bonus.
“We have pages of insight from women —
solid, thoughtful responses we hope can not only add to our program,
but also inform the medical community,” says Deaver, herself
a cancer survivor. “Though cancer is a ‘life-changing’
event, there are sound ways we can help women to help themselves
— and that’s encouraging for all patients.”
More information on this survey can be found
in the official
press release — or call 1-800-395-LOOK. To find out about
local cancer support programs, call the American Cancer Society
at 1-800-ACS-2345.
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