How We Help

Dry Julyers, your fundraising efforts this year will help people like Melany face cancer with confidence

Dry Julyers, you should be incredibly proud of your fundraising efforts - you’re helping Look Good Feel Better NZ to provide their wellness workshops, helping people like Melany face cancer with confidence.

These sessions are free for anyone with any cancer at any stage of treatment, including tips and tricks to disguise the visible side effects of cancer, as well as a chance to spend time with people who understand what you are going through.

52-year-old Melany has metastatic breast cancer and had already attended a class five years earlier. She decided to sign up again late last year when she had to have more treatment.

"I had been through a first lot of chemotherapy, and my hair dropped off, my eyebrows dropped off. You don't want to...

By participating and raising funds for Dry July, you will be helping fund Prost-FIT classes in eleven different locations, as well as new and upcoming locations across New Zealand

Lisa is a well known, passionate and sought-after fitness trainer, who has recently become a trainer for Prostate Cancer New Zealand's incredible exercise programme, Prost-FIT.

Prost-FIT is a fun exercise class designed specifically for men living with prostate cancer including those recently diagnosed, those receiving treatment, and survivors living with aftereffects from their cancer treatment.

There are a number of benefits that exercise can bring for prostate cancer patients – including reduced fatigue, lowered risk of osteoporosis, increased strength and aerobic fitness. Not only do these classes have physical health benefits, they also support mental health through mindful meditation and the provision of time out to connect with...

By participating in Dry July and raising funds, you will be helping people like John access Pinc & Steel New Zealand's incredible community programs like Paddle On

When John was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, there were no other indicators besides frequently needing to go to the toilet. After surgery and a prostatectomy, they realised that John’s cancer had gone beyond the prostate.

After having to go on a hormone treatment, John was aware that one of the side effects was the depletion of your upper body strength.

After having an initial assessment with one of Pinc & Steel’s physiotherapists, John quickly got involved with Paddle On – a stand up paddle rehabilitation program, for men and woman recovering from all types of cancer.

“Gradually with the support of the physiotherapists and the instructors, I started to discover what I could do - gaining strength, confidence and balance”.

“Paddle On...

By signing up and raising funds for Dry July, you will be helping to support the care and wellbeing of people like Hope

40-year old mother of two, Hope, was a fit and healthy woman when she found out she had Bowel Cancer. Initially, doctors had said Hope was “too healthy” and “too young” when she first noticed the bleeding.

Hope soon found out that there’s no such thing as “too young” or “too healthy” when it comes to bowel cancer. Living in pain as her symptoms worsened over time, Hope was eventually diagnosed with bowel cancer at the Charity Hospital in Christchurch.

Not long after, Hope and her aunt joined Bowel Cancer New Zealand's online support network - with their first visit to the online forum having a significant impact.

“As I read the stories and comments, I immediately started feeling less alone. I’d go to the support group and hear the...

Thanks to Dry July, Look Good Feel Better NZ was able to extend the practical advice and tips it offers to its participants

In April we launched 3 new online classes: Managing Hair Loss & Regrowth, Brow Focus and Hand & Nailcare. These classes add to our existing online programme, where we encourage our participants to access as many classes as they wish, whenever they need the advice. They can still attend their local community class too!

We are fortunate to have Grant Betjemann, a professional hairdresser, who has experience helping some of his clients manage the often emotional and traumatic process of losing their hair due to treatment. His is supported by Cheryl, who has experienced hair loss so can share her personal experience and tips during the class.

These classes have proved popular and are helping any one, diagnosed with any cancer, at any...

Dry July funds supported Look Good Feel Better NZ launching online classes for Men.

Participant to Speaker to Facilitator!

These classes are run every month for any man at any stage of their diagnosis. Men are encouraged to join as many classes as they wish to.

Paul attended his first Look Good Feel Better “Feel Stronger Live Better” class last September 2020, after hearing about it through his local men’s cancer support group in New Plymouth (Men Can Talk).

These classes include an inspirational guest speaker which the guys can “chew the fat with” and receive some “take away” of value they can use in their life. We are fortunate to have had a great line up of speakers including Dr John Mayhew, Lance Burdett and Jake Bailey.

Paul is an advocate for improving lives of people with cancer and from his own personal need to...

By signing up to Dry July and raising funds, you’ll be helping people like Doug access fitness classes, designed for men affected by prostate cancer.

Four years ago, Doug, a retired engineer and diabetic, was getting his regular three-monthly blood tests, where they noticed some irregular results. He was quickly referred to a specialist where they performed a biopsy and discovered that Doug had prostate cancer.

After having gone through various treatments, Doug noticed several side effects, including hot flushes and a reduction in muscle strength, where he was struggling to bend down.

This is when Doug got involved with Prost-FIT classes, a weekly fitness class run by specially trained exercise professionals and designed specifically for men living with prostate cancer. Doug is now attending two classes a week, one based on boxing and the other Tai Chi.

“I have noticed a big difference...

By participating in Dry July and raising funds, you're helping people like Helen gain access to incredible cancer rehabilitation programs.

When Helen was diagnosed with breast cancer, she soon after endured chemotherapy, breast surgery and radiation. After this, despite receiving the official ‘all clear,’ Helen was left feeling very far from it.

After feeling as though she was spiraling, the fatigue became too much and Helen had to quit her job.

This is when Helen reached out to Pinc & Steel and soon got involved in the PaddleOn and Next Steps program, where she took up stand-up paddle boarding and pilates, shortly transforming her life and helping her back on the road to recovery.

"It changed my life, I was in a really bad place. It picked me up, gave me focus and made me feel back in control again and just put me in a really good place and surrounded me with really...

Funds raised by Dry July will help people like Wayne access support when they need it most.

43 year old, Wayne loved going to sports practice, kicking a ball with his boys and right up until his diagnosis, he was heavily involved in surf life saving.

Concerned after finding blood in his stool, Wayne Fa’asega headed off to the doctors. His GP wasn’t dismissive about the possibility of bowel cancer but felt that the then 43-year-old was too young. Nonetheless, he put Wayne into the public health system.

After being diagnosed with Bowel Cancer, Wayne was encouraged to join Bowel Cancer New Zealand's online support group, “Everyone is there to support each other,” he enthuses. “It’s directly aimed at people with bowel cancer and all the various stages, be it stage one, two, three, stage four if it's spread around.”

After Wayne's...