Cancer survivor volunteers to help others

Cancer survivor Laine Fraser is volunteering at a cancer charity programme this weekend

A cancer charity is hitting the road again this month and will be delivering free classes to women with cancer in Napier this weekend with the help of cancer survivors themselves.

Eskdale resident Laine Fraser was so taken with the 'Look Good Feel Better' cancer programme when she had cancer herself that she decided to volunteer to help others feel more confident while battling cancer.

Diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2015, Ms Fraser joined the free programme and said her experience was so good she wanted to help others feel the same way.

"I went in as a client to Look Good Feel Better and absolutely loved it. It was one of the best mornings of my life after all the horrible bits and pieces I had gone through that year."

The programme, a 'day away from the world of diagnosis and treatment', will be held in a mobile shipping container at the top of Emerson St this weekend for a group of ladies with cancer who have registered to be pampered for day.

Ms Foster did the programme while undergoing chemotherapy in May of 2015 and by August she had signed herself up to be a volunteer.

"I decided I enjoyed it so much that I would give back to the programme."

She said after she went through the programme she went home and burst into tears after seeing how young some of the women were.

Ms Fraser said she enjoyed chatting to clients, who usually turned up apprehensive, because she could speak about the issues they were dealing with from personal experience.

"People that have been through the process have got an affinity because they know what is going to happen."

Having made many friends through the programme, some of which have passed away, Ms Fraser said the Look Good Feel Better programme was incredibly helpful.

The programme, which is free to women diagnosed with cancer, offers a morning full of pampering.

The programme includes facial massages, tailored make up packs, wig tutorials by Di Foote of Di's Hair and Wigs Specialists and cancer-specific beauty tips.

"It's a wonderful thing for women with cancer. There's a great group of us volunteers, we're all different ages and we all get along,

"It's just a great thing to have and 99.9 per cent of women really enjoy it," Ms Fraser said.

Last year the charity travelled more than 4000kms around the country as part of Look Good Feel Better On the Move. This year's container trip started in Whangarei and will travel to other towns around the North Island after visiting Napier.