Press Releases
WASHINGTON DC – April 11, 2016 – Sharon Howard of Kansas City, Missouri; Hans Kalset of Potomac, Maryland; and Victoria Littlefield of Pittston, Maine, joined an elite group of volunteers today when they received the Look Good Feel Better 2015 National Sunrise Awards for their volunteer service and commitment. Look Good Feel Better is a free, national program dedicated to improving the lives of women undergoing cancer treatment by offering guidance and advice to help them cope with the appearance side effects of treatment. Each year, Look Good Feel Better presents the awards to volunteers who have made extraordinary contributions to the program and the lives of the women it serves. The award-winning volunteers were chosen from a field of candidates from across the country.
The Look Good Feel Better program is made possible in the U.S. through a collaboration of the Personal Care Products Council Foundation, the American Cancer Society and the Professional Beauty Association. These three organizations have worked together for 27 years to improve the morale, confidence and quality of life for women during cancer treatment, offering a sense of normalcy and control during an often difficult and challenging time. Look Good Feel Better serves approximately 50,000 women each year in 15,000 workshops offered in more than 2,000 host facilities, as well as offering online and virtual services and support.
“Look Good Feel Better volunteers continue to inspire and uplift us,” said Louanne Roark, Executive Director of the Personal Care Products Council Foundation and Look Good Feel Better. “Day after day, they go out of their way to help others, using their time and sometimes even their personal resources, to give a part of themselves to make someone else’s day brighter and more hopeful. We are grateful for their generosity, kindness and dedication.”
Sharon Howard of Kansas City
Sharon Howard, a registered nurse, has been a vital part of the Look Good Feel Better program for four years. As a Survivorship Nurse Navigator and Look Good Feel Better Coordinator at St. Luke’s Cancer Institute in Kansas City, Missouri, Sharon has been a devoted promoter and leader for the program. Sharon’s enthusiasm and guidance have shaped the program at St. Luke’s Cancer Institute into a program that offers monthly workshops which doubled patient participation and allowed the program to serve over 70 patients in 2015. Furthermore, Sharon has been instrumental in expanding the Look Good Feel Better program to an additional St. Luke’s location in Kansas City.
“Sharon is by far the most dedicated Look Good Feel Better general volunteer I’ve had the pleasure to work with,” said Deb Parsons, a Mission Delivery Senior Manager at the American Cancer Society for more than 13 years. “Because of her dedication and passion for the program she’s created a model program at Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute.”
Hans Kalset of Potomac, Maryland
Hans Kalset has been a committed Look Good Feel Better program volunteer for 16 years. An active member of the Professional Beauty Association, he currently facilitates more than 18 workshops annually, along with one-on-one consultations, and supports two annual certification trainings for new volunteers. Hans has influenced the lives of women around the country, not only through workshops and trainings, but also through his dedication to raise national awareness for the cause. He has participated in photoshoots, video tapings, and “before-and-after” makeovers for Look Good Feel Better promotional and training materials, as well promoted the program through interviews for the local media.
“Hans has the gift of making all our participants feel cared for and safe, as well as beautiful,” said Judith Macon, Suburban Hospital Cancer Outreach and Education Manager in Maryland. “Hans is truly an angel in the eyes of our cancer patients and staff. We are so fortunate to have his expertise and commitment.”
Victoria Littlefield of Pittston, Maine
Victoria Littlefield has been a volunteer with the Look Good Feel Better program for 26 years, a testament to her long-term dedication and selfless commitment to helping people suffering with cancer. As a volunteer area trainer, she has been a committed, passionate volunteer and leader. Victoria helps organize and facilitate Look Good Feel Better certification training sessions for new volunteers and group patient workshops. Victoria surpasses the expectations of her duties as Area Trainer, recently joining the local Chamber of Commerce to promote greater awareness of Look Good Feel Better and increasing her networking opportunities with the hope of expanding the program in the future.
“Victoria is a caring and compassionate person who utilizes her talents to ensure that a cancer diagnosis does not take away a woman’s identity,” said Nicole Heanssler, Health Systems Manager at the American Cancer Society. “She empowers these women to realize that the disease may take away their energy for some time, but it certainly doesn’t take their identity.”
###
Look Good Feel Better is a free public service program that helps individuals with cancer improve their self-esteem and confidence by helping them to deal with the appearance side effects of cancer treatment. The program offers free workshops, and online and virtual support that include lessons on skin and nail care, cosmetics, wigs and turbans, accessories and styling… helping people with cancer to find some normalcy in a life that is by no means normal. It is offered through a collaborative effort of the Personal Care Products Council Foundation, the charitable arm of the trade group representing the cosmetics and beauty industry; the American Cancer Society, the nation’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to saving lives from cancer; and the Professional Beauty Association, the largest organization of salon professionals with members representing salons/spas, distributors, manufacturers and beauty professionals. For more information, visit the website at www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org or call 1- 800-395-LOOK. Look Good Feel Better is a registered trademark of the Personal Care Products Council Foundation.