Making the chemo journey “a little bit better”
Almost all of our lives have been rocked by the effects of cancer — whether we have been diagnosed ourselves or had friends or family that have gone through treatment.
It is estimated that in the UK alone, 2.5 million people are living with the disease.
There are various monthly cancer awareness campaigns that aim to raise both money and awareness for those whose lives are impacted by cancer. Every October thousands of women take part in wear it pink day as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Stylists at Stella and Dot have found another way to make the lives of cancer patients going through chemotherapy a little bit easier.
Stella and Dot is a San Francisco based social selling company with a team of 500 stylists and hostesses across the world. It planted its roots in the UK back in 2012.
The company prides its self on giving “every woman the means to style her own life”, including women going through chemotherapy.
Alice Hooley, a Stella and Dot stylist, said: “Each October we launch a breast cancer boutique where we sell three different accessories. This year all proceeds will go to breast cancer.
“A stylist decided to make up pouches filled with products which make the chemo process a little bit easier.”
The Stella and Dot team lost one of their members to breast cancer and that was their inspiration for putting together the cancer care pouches.
“On Friday, I dropped off my pouches at the MacMillan Centre at the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth. The pouches are going to be given to the women when they attend the centre.”
The pouches contain items that the women at Stella and Dot believe will most help those who are going through chemotherapy and experiencing the gruelling effects it has.
Chemotherapy works on active cells. Cancerous cells are active, but unfortunately so are some of our healthy cells, and the side effects of chemotherapy occur when those healthy cells are damaged.
Ovarian cancer surviour Aimee Martin spoke of her experience with chemotherapy: “Going through chemotherapy at the age of 16 was tough for my self-esteem. Losing my hair had a great impact on this too.”
The chemo care packages take into consideration these changes to women’s bodies during their chemotherapy journey and are produced accordingly. They include hand cream to help with dry hands, lip cream for sore lips, different flavoured tea bags because taste buds change during chemotherapy, and mints for dry mouths — to name but a few.
Although she didn't have a care package during her chemo journey, Aimee loves the idea of them.
She said: “The idea of a care package for this population is a positive gesture and would definitely have given myself more confidence and feeling comfortable in my own skin during such a traumatic time.”
One woman who received a pouch said: “It is such an amazing thing to know that people want to help. It’s nice feeling like a real woman again and giving us the treats that remind us of that.”
Alice contacted women who have bought Stella and Dot products through her to ask if they would sponsor her in making the pouches. So far 36 women have agreed, and with the money from this commission she will buy the products that will fill the pouches.
She said chemotherapy often affects patients’ memory, so the pouches can also be used to store the items someone might need to take with them to their appointments. Rather than having to remember lots of little bits, they can all be kept in the pouch so they only have to remember one thing.
Alice said: “If you people have got spare time this is a good thing to put it into. Figure out what is going on in your local environment and what you can be part of if you have time.”
Find out more about Stella and Dot at their breast cancer boutique.
