Dry July NZ Trust

Our online classes have been a huge success!

Since launching at the start of April, we have run 12 online classes (59 women have attended, with 30 more registered for June classes. 

Attendees cover a wide range of ages: from 21-80, and from all over NZ. We have particularly seen participants join from more rural areas, and they have fed back how online is a convenient option than driving a long distance to community class. 

The participant feedback has been fantastic, with an average overall rating of 9.1 [Very Satisfied].  

“Thank you for the opportunity to be part of an online class at this challenging time (Lockdown). I appreciate the efforts that everyone has made to keep things running.” 

“It was great to still be able to do the online course despite Covid-19 so thank you for that and Josie was just lovely.” 

“Just want to say thank you for offering this to those of us going through challenging times. Whilst I would have loved a live class, due to COVID19, this was a great alternative.”

We have acted on participant feedback, and from July we will be offering an ‘Intro to Wigs’ class and focused ‘Scarf-tying and headwear’ class. This will enable more time in the class to go more in detail with the content, for those who want it, as well as give more time for participants to interact and connect with other.  

Our first Men’s online programme will go live on our website 8 June, with our first class planned for Saturday 4th July @4pm. More details to follow…

For Jill Solomon, the hardest part of her cancer diagnosis was what to say to family and friends and in particular her three school-age sons. 

“Having to tell them was a touchy moment. They are 15, 13 and 10. Because it was breast cancer, they didn’t want to know too much,” she says. “I decided I had to keep it quite factual, and ensure life did not change too much for them.” 

Jill was able to work through much of her months of treatment, that involved a partial mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. 

“I was coming to the end of my chemotherapy treatment and I started to think ‘what is the new me going to look like?’. I had an aunty who had been through Look Good Feel Better, and she said it was an amazing day. 

“It is a safe place to hang out for a couple of hours - you feel safe being vulnerable with other people who are going through or have been going through it, they understand the challenges that you face – such as having no eyelashes or eyebrows. I use the tricks I learned now, and I am using the products, says Jill. 

Your Dry July fundraising means we can continue supporting Look Good Feel Better New Zealand to help people like Jill. 

You can read Jill’s full story here: www.dryjuly.co.nz/2020/jills-story

Chris Ward knows only too well the benefits of going to Prostate Cancer Support Groups. So much so, the 70-year-old from Lincoln who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018, is now running his own Support Group for men with prostate cancer and their families.

Chris and his wife Dianne run a support group in Lincoln on the 4th Wednesday of the month that is well attended with over 40 people on their books. The Support Groups run under the guidance of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand, are a great way for men and their partners living with prostate cancer to tell their stories and to help people who have been recently diagnosed to navigate their way through the healthcare system and to consider the many treatment options they may have.

Your Dry July fundraising means we can continue supporting Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand to help people like Chris.

You can read Chris’ full story here: www.dryjuly.co.nz/2020/chris-story

Katherine (Kat) was one of the many Kiwis considered ‘too young’ to have bowel cancer – she was diagnosed at age 34. “My only initial symptom was fatigue. I had two kids at the time, so I saw my GP, who said my iron levels were really low, and prescribed iron tablets.”

“I’ve had a lot of support along the way, particularly from Bowel Cancer NZ," she says.

“Mary (at Bowel Cancer NZ) provided me with one-to-one support and explained all that they do to help people get through this horrible diagnosis. It’s quite hard at first as people didn’t want to talk about it, but I did want to talk about it.”

Your Dry July fundraising means we can continue supporting Bowel Cancer NZ to help people like Kat.

You can read Kat’s full story here: www.dryjuly.co.nz/2020/kats-story

Melwyn Le Comte was prepared to lose her hair, however when she shed her eyebrows, it brought her to tears.

A diagnosis is tough for anyone, but just days after surgery for breast cancer, her mother-in-law passed away from pancreatic cancer, and the 46-year-old wasn’t able to attend her funeral. 

She was exhausted, bereft of femininity and mourning the loss of her husband’s mother. That is why she doesn’t underestimate the restorative power of attending a Look Good Feel Better class. 

Free to anyone having any form of cancer treatment, the classes include not only a pamper session and make-up tips and tricks to combat the side effects of treatment, they also provide a welcoming environment for people to be with others who truly understand what it’s like to be going through cancer. 

Your Dry July fundraising means we can continue supporting Look Good Feel Better New Zealand to help people like Melwyn. 

You can read Melwyn’s full story here: www.dryjuly.co.nz/2020/melwyns-story