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ALPENA – The nonprofit cancer support organization Friends Together will host Look Good Feel Better, a free national public service program for women who are undergoing cancer treatment.

Both in-person workshops and online classes will be offered at no charge for those going through cancer treatment and reside in Iosco, Oscoda, Alcona, Alpena, Presque Isle and Montmorency counties.

Two-year funding for this program was secured through a grant from the Women’s Giving Circle. These workshops will be offered both in person and as virtual online classes. To register or for more information, please contact Friends Together at 989-356-3231.

Offered through a national collaboration of the Look Good Feel Better Foundation and the Professional Beauty Association, Look Good Feel Better® is dedicated to helping women with cancer cope with the appearance- side effects of their treatment.

Since 1989, the program has empowered more than 1 million women in the United States to reclaim their sense of control, confidence and self-esteem. Look Good Feel Better offers complimentary in-person workshops and online beauty sessions that include lessons on dealing with temporary hair loss, skin complexion and nail changes due to cancer treatment. Classes also demonstrate how to manage hair loss using wigs, turbans, scarves and accessories and show a video featuring expert advice on styling during and after cancer treatment.

Friends Together is currently able to provide referral codes for online classes with free beauty kits shipping directly to patients’ homes. A waitlist is being created for the in-person workshops that will be offered at Friends Together in the future. Look Good Feel Better is currently recruiting a local, licensed beauty professional who can fill the role as volunteer instructor for these workshops. (Licensed professionals interested in learning more about volunteering can visit: lookgoodfeelbetter.org/volunteer). Those who are currently undergoing treatment for cancer can contact Friends Together for more information or to register by phoning 989-356 3231.

“Look Good Feel Better is as much about improving and maintaining self-esteem and confidence as it is about appearance,” says Friends Together Programs Coordinator, Malinda Amlotte. “Patients appreciate the free makeup donated by the cosmetic industry and instruction from beauty professionals while having the opportunity to spend time in a relaxed, nonmedical setting with others who are in the same situation. The workshops and online classes are designed to help patients regain some sense of control of their lives and to have a positive impact on their social and emotional health.”