Lehigh County Health & Medicine Winter 2019 - 9

L C M E D S O C .O R G

he Cancer Support Community
of the Greater Lehigh Valley
has launched a groundbreaking
skin-care series, Comfortable in
Your Own Skin, for people with cancer. This
program helps women, men, and children
manage the side effects of cancer treatment,
and reviews the types of products they should
use to control skin problems occurring
during treatment.
Practitioners, business owners, and professionals whose expertise lies in oncology
aesthetics and natural beauty products will
moderate Comfortable in Your Own Skin, a
six-week series beginning in April that covers
a different topic each week.

"Second, it's the first Lehigh Valley program
that addresses appropriate skin care products for
people. Over the years, we've hosted make-up
classes where women learned how to draw on
eyebrows and even out skin tone and cover
redness with make-up. And, of course, we
will continue to do that. But people need a
lot more information now. And we're bringing
it to them."
When radiation therapy and some chemotherapies target cancer cells, the skin
often becomes a casualty of treatment,
developing considerable dryness, itchiness,
redness, and peeling.

"Whether the impact is on a part of the body
covered with clothing, or on skin that others
Jen Sinclair, the Cancer Support Com- see, people are uncomfortable, and their skin
munity's program director, notes, "This is a becomes an issue as they try to live normal lives.
groundbreaking program on many levels. It's We're going to help them figure out solutions,"
the first Lehigh Valley skin-care program that continues Sinclair.
speaks to men and kids, as well as women.
The six-week course focuses on myths and
facts about skin-care products; make-up tips
to cover problem areas; natural ingredients

that can help reduce treatment-related side
effects; chemical-free options for hair and nail
care; men's skin care concerns; and a session
developed specifically for kids and teens.
The Ambassadors of Hope, an advisory group
to the Cancer Support Community, funded
the program. The 45-member group was
moved by a member's story of the psychological
struggle she faced after losing all of her hair
during cancer treatment. She explained that
when she found a solution that eased her side
effects, she became more confident in facing
the world again.
"This woman's story is similar to so many,"
says Sinclair, program director. "When we talk
about skin care, we aren't just taking about
beauty. We're also talking about self-esteem.
Our goal is to help cancer survivors feel
better about their appearance, learn ways to
nourish their skin, and take an empowered
stance in selecting safe products they can feel
good about."

All programs are free to cancer survivors but advance registration is required.
To register or for more information,
call 610-861-7555 or visit www.CancerSupportGLV.org
WINTER 2019 | Lehigh County Health & Medicine 9

http://www.LCMEDSOC.ORG http://www.CancerSupportGLV.org

Lehigh County Health & Medicine Winter 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Lehigh County Health & Medicine Winter 2019