It’s that time of the year again to break out your old wedding or prom dress and wear it for a cause.
Raising lots of money for Look Good Feel Better is what the head of the Say Yes To The Dress … Again! event is hoping to do again this year, exceeding last year’s amount of more than $7,000.
“We’re asking people to look good, feel better, dress in their favourite formal attire,” said Kelly Huys, chair of the organizing committee.
“We want women to wear anything hanging in their closet that they ever thought, ‘When am I ever going to wear this again?’” she added.
Sponsored by Radiance Massage Therapy & Spa, this is the second year the fundraiser is happening to benefit women with cancer and provide them with free local workshops where they can learn how to apply their makeup and style themselves when going through or recovering from the illness.
This year’s event takes place Nov. 16 at the John D. Bradley Convention Centre.
Sherry Abbott, executive director for the Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association Foundation, knows firsthand how devastating the effects of cancer can be.
Abbott was diagnosed with an advanced form of ovarian cancer at the young age of 30 and suffered severe nerve damage to her spinal cord and legs from treatment.
Today, Abbott can call herself a longtime cancer survivor, now using her vast experience in the beauty industry to help and inspire others.
With the workshops helping many women in the group who are undergoing radiation and have lost their hair, instructors give them cosmetic options and tips including how to recreate lost brows and lashes.
In addition to receiving a confidence kit, there is information about sun care, nail care, cosmetic hygiene, how to get a healthy look, styling a wig and alternatives to wigs.
Abbott says these workshops not only give them a boost on the outside, but also on the inside.
“They realize they’re not alone,” said Abbott.
“It’s like a makeover for the spirit,” she added.
As women share their similar experiences, they realize they can regain some of their control back.
The Say Yes To The Dress … Again! fundraiser will feature a variety of activities throughout the evening, including appetizers, vendors, henna tattoos, a glam station, tinsel hair extensions, photo booth, appetizers and a silent auction.
The Drew Bois Band and Susu Abdo Entertainment Enterprises will provide live entertainment.
With doors opening at 7 p.m., Huys says everyone planning on attending should have fun dressing up, even the men.
Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased at Radiance Massage Therapy & Spa in Chatham. Tables for groups of 10 can also be reserved.
Those buying their tickets before Oct. 25 will have a chance to be entered into a draw to win a $200 gift certificate for Radiance Massage Therapy & Spa and dinner for two at T-Bones Grill House.
For more information on the fundraiser, visit their Say Yes To The Dress … Again! Facebook page or visit lookgoodfeelbetter.ca to locate a workshop.
