Elisha’s Story

Elisha is naturally bubbly and positive, so she felt enormous pressure to keep up the façade when she was feeling the complete opposite going through cancer.

Incarcerated in hospital for a month and undergoing six brutal rounds of chemotherapy, the 24-year-old did not feel like her normal self, and she certainly didn’t recognise her in the mirror either.

Her trademark long curly hair was falling out, she was exhausted by her cancer treatment, and she had FOMO, pining for her former life filled with amazing work experiences and great friends.

So, her session with cancer charity Look Good Feel Better proved to be a powerful tool in her fight for the person she knew before cancer.

“It felt like I was claiming my life back,” the film costume designer says. “I normally dress quite colorfully; I love doing makeup. I have quite thick eyebrows and that was something that was lost pretty quickly. I had to learn how to how to fill in my eyebrows and to look more human and like myself, because cancer takes that away from you.”

It was in winter last year that doctors initially thought she had gastritis, but after excruciating pain, she was hospitalised for a huge array of tests, and it was revealed she had blood cancer.

“I got told on Wednesday and Saturday had my first round of chemo then on the Friday they did a lumbar puncture procedure and a bone marrow biopsy.”

Her partner stopped work to become her caregiver, and when she was discharged, she moved in with his parents to recuperate because she could not stay in her large flat of friends as she was

immune compromised.

“I’m quite friendly but treatment is exhausting, and everyone expects that sort of positivity, and you feel the pressure to keep that going. But you don’t have the energy anymore. I got to a point where I couldn’t even make it up the drive.”

It was during a medical appointment that Elisa saw a poster for Look Good Feel Better, the charity that provides a broad wellbeing programme, free for anyone with any cancer at any stage. She quickly booked herself in to a signature skincare and make-up session.

“It was nice to see other people in a very similar situation. And it wasn’t sad at all. It was just a fun class,” Elisha says.

“I walked out feeling more normal, a lot more human – it is as if you’re claiming your life back.

“It’s a positive vibe. I definitely did walk away feeling way more confident.  You get to hang around other people who are going through similar things as you. You feel like a little bit of normalcy is coming back. You’re claiming your life back.”

Elisha has since attended several other sessions – including one on hairloss and regrowth and another one hand and nail care, as well as accessing the Cancer Conversations podcasts, all online.

“It’s not a sad environment. It’s not like in the hospital. They are free courses where you get to go do something for fun.

“Chatting with the others brought some sort of normalcy to the situation. It made me realise that I could still find some positivity. Those self-care moments are very important.

“My life is definitely a lot better now. I’m in full remission and I am looking to get back into work and do more active things. I need more excuses to dress up and put on my make-up.”