Look Good … Feel Better is a national public service program sponsored by the American Cancer Society that helps women cancer patients improve their appearance and self-image by teaching them hands-on beauty techniques to overcome the appearance-related side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

The program is completely non-medical, does not interfere with any treatment protocol that a patient may receive, and is completely free of charge. Each volunteer is trained and certified and is not paid for his or her participation in Look Good … Feel Better.

In February, the Look Good … Feel Better program will have its first workshop in Friday Harbor. If you or a friend are receiving treatment for cancer and would like to be a part of this transforming program, call Friday Harbor volunteer Geri Chutuk, 378-5872. She’ll be back on-island after Jan. 15 and invites anyone interested in the program to contact her then.

“I’ll try to answer all your questions and put you at ease with this exciting new program,” she said. “Look Good…Feel Better is as much about improving and maintaining self-image and confidence as it is about appearance. Patients enjoy the opportunity to spend time in a relaxed, non-medical setting with others in the same situation. And the make-up and instruction from professionals help them look and feel better. That’s what we’re all about.”

The program consists of a two-hour hands-on workshop which includes a detailed description and demonstration of the 12-step Look Good … Feel Better skin care and make-up program; instruction on options related to hair loss; and basic nail care.

Each participant receives one complimentary kit of cosmetics to use during the session and then take home. All products in the Look Good … Feel Better kit are donated by top companies in the cosmetic industry.

If you have health care providers in Friday Harbor, let them know you may be interested in the program so coordinators can get an indication of the size of the workshop and the number of kits that will be needed.