Denise Giuffre
Camera IconDenise Giuffre Credit: Supplied/Louise White

Looking good but feeling better

Michele Nugent, Weekend CourierWeekend Kwinana Courier

Denise Giuffre (49) is back to her old self after participating in two free Look Good Feel Better workshops designed especially for women diagnosed with cancer.

Her only regret is not having done the workshops earlier in her cancer journey. The Rockingham grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000 at the age of 37 and encourages others fighting their own battle to get involved in the workshops sooner rather than later.

After chemo and radiotherapy Ms Giuffre went into remission, but the cancer returned in her spine in 2006 and in 2011 she was crushed to learn she had stage four cancer and would never be cured.

In her trademark positive manner, Ms Giuffre enrolled in her first workshop last year and found the support and friendship so beneficial she completed a second, relieved to embrace her usual colourful ‘out there’ fashion sense with the help of specialist make-up and wigs.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

‘I can’t tell you enough how good the workshops made me feel after being so miserable and down for so long. The volunteers that run them are amazing women,’ Ms Giuffre said.

‘I now look forward to a brighter and positive future. The workshops help build you up again and give you a different outlook on life. It was great to be able to rejoice in feeling like a woman again.’

In another positive testimony, Ms Giuffre’s mother and carer Joan Bellair also speaks highly of the workshops after experiencing them as part of her own breast cancer survival journey.