Women across Wellington County are being invited to reach into their closets, pull out their favourite little black dress and let their hair down for an evening out with the girls this fall.
Mount Forest Cancer Patient Services, the Louise Marshall Hospital, and the Look Good Feel Better organization have joined forces to create the Little Black Dress Affair, a fundraiser to support cancer treatment and related services in the community.
A similar fundraiser, the Little Black Dress and Pearls event, held annually in Sudbury, inspired the gala event.
The now sold-out Sudbury soiree, which started with a mere 50 guests and now draws close to 500, is a ladies-only evening featuring a fashion show, silent and live auctions, raffles, door prizes, food, gifts and live entertainment.
On Sept. 27 the Little Black Dress Affair will take place at the Mount Forest Legion.
Specifics of the occasion are not yet finalized, but committee members told the Advertiser on May 1 they want to include the same components of the Sudbury event, including wine, appetizers, a silent auction and fashion show. Tickets for the event will be $50.
The committee envisions an event that will bring women together, uniting them around a common goal and finding community support in the fight against cancer.
One of the organizations behind the Little Black Dress affair is Look Good Feel Better, a charity that helps women deal with the effects cancer has on their appearance. The organization believes if a woman with cancer can look good, she’ll feel better, her spirits will be lifted and she’ll be empowered to face her illness with greater confidence.
Mount Forest has been lucky enough to offer workshops directed by the organization, something that is rare in small communities.
Carol Armstrong, a committee member for the Little Black Dress Affair and cancer care coordinator at the Mount Forest Family Health Team, says proceeds will help ensure the much-needed workshops can continue.
“(The workshops) are something that happen in the big centres … in order to have it in Mount Forest, they said we had to have at least 10 people,” said Armstrong.
“And they didn’t think we could have that many, but sadly to say there are that many … so the money we fundraise goes to support programs like that.”
During the two-hour workshop, participants learn how to manage the appearance-related effects of cancer and its treatment.
Each person receives a complimentary kit of cosmetic and skin care products donated by members of the Canadian Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association. Trained estheticians instruct women on how to even-out skin tone, recreate the look of lost eyebrows and eyelashes, and how to care for skin and nails.
Since one of the most challenging aspects of cancer treatment for women is hair loss, the workshop also features a special session on hair alternatives, including wig selection and care, and how to have fun with scarves and hats.
“We’re addressing the whole person,” Armstrong says. “They’re being treated medically, but what about the other parts? If someone looks better, they feel better.”
The Mount Forest Look Good Feel Better program will be holding another workshop on June 9, at Louise Marshall Hospital from 1 to 3pm.
“There’s no cost, it’s a free seminar, and each woman goes home with a gift bag, with a sample of everything, and it’s all hypoallergenic. And it doesn’t matter if you’re fair, medium or dark (skinned), there’s a kit for you,” Armstrong said.
The effect of a little “girl-time” is instantaneous. Armstrong says, noting by the end of the workshop, “you can see the mood change in the room. Walking in, you’re just not sure, but by the time they’re leaving, they’re laughing, they feel good. And (the women) are so excited about all the people they meet, they’re (more) comfortable talking about (cancer) with people who have gone through the same thing.”
Armstrong and her committee hope the Little Black Dress affair will help create this same feeling of fellowship and support amongst women in the community.
Proceeds from the Little Black Dress Affair will be split between the hospital, Cancer Patient Services and Look Good Feel Better.
Those interested in the Look Good Feel Better program or the Little Black Dress Affair can contact Armstrong at 519-323-0255 ext. 5014.
