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The latest coverage, commentary, case studies and official updates on Dry July NZ 2025
WHY WE DRY JULY: Clare - How mindfulness, makeup & family rituals gave Aucklander Clare her life back
By Dry July NZ + Look Good Feel Better on
When Aucklander Clare was diagnosed with incurable cancer, everything changed. A natural organiser who juggled work, volunteering, and family commitments, she suddenly found herself in unfamiliar territory: needing support herself.
“You lose a bit of your identity,” Clare says.
“You're going to have good and bad days, and it’s about finding tools to help you through it. Mental health is so important - you have to give yourself compassion.”
That’s where Look Good Feel Better came in. Thanks to funding from Dry July, Clare was able to access free wellbeing classes, from mindfulness and breathing sessions to makeup tutorials and hair regrowth advice — all tailored to people facing cancer.
“I may look well from the outside, but I’m still going through a lot,” she says.
“Sometimes I just want to get lifted and invigorated. These sessions help me get back to myself.”
Initially unsure if she belonged in a beauty class, Clare took a chance - and never looked back.
“It lifted my spirits. It was fun and full of laughs. That beautiful box of makeup really overwhelmed me — in the best way. It reminded me that I'm supported.”
She even created a special family ritual to acknowledge a difficult milestone - her hair loss.
“I had a shaving ceremony. My nephew shaved my head, and it actually became a beautiful way to grieve and move forward.”
Clare’s courage and self-awareness have helped her navigate the rollercoaster of a cancer journey with grace. And she’s the first to recommend Look Good Feel Better to others who may be struggling.
“If you need support, you’ll find an incredible community and amazing resources. You’ll feel loved and cared for.”
Funds raised through Dry July help ensure this support is always there — not just in a crisis, but on the quieter, in-between days when it’s needed most.
“Clare is a beacon of what Dry July is all about,” says Veronica Shale, Campaign Director for Dry July NZ.
“She’s a reminder that cancer care must go beyond treatment - that wellbeing matters, that dignity matters, and that support must meet people where they are.”
When Clare can take the good, she takes the good. Thanks to Dry July fundraisers across the country, that good is possible.
Please donate today.
🧡 Support services funded: Look Good Feel Better, PINC & STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation NZ, and Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ
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