Kim Abbott knows how cancer can change a woman’s life, because it changed hers. Kim is a proud survivor of ovarian cancer who now helps other women with cancer in the Look Good…Feel Better program sponsored by the American Cancer Society. "Kim has personal experience of how debilitating losing your hair, eyelashes, etc. can be for a woman. She is a beautiful person and we are honored to have her come and do these programs," says Judy Taylor, manager for OHC’s Wilmington office.
Look Good…Feel Better programs are scheduled for September 22 and November 17, 10 a.m. to noon, at OHC’s
Wilmington office. For more information, contact Judy Taylor at 937-383-2537 or the American Cancer Society at 1-888-227-6446.
Here is Kim’s story in her own words.
It’s been said that the toughest part of survivorship is the first five minutes after you hear the words “You have cancer.” I believe there’s some truth to that. I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in September 2007. When I came out of shock, I decided information was power and I turned to the American Cancer Society.
My surgery was performed by Cincinnati’s BEST gynecologist/oncologist, Dr. Marcia Bowling at Oncology Hematology Care. After taking a couple of weeks to recover from surgery, I began chemotherapy at OHC in Wilmington under the care of Dr. Patrick Ward and his WONDERFUL nursing and office staff. I went in to that first visit prepared with a list of questions I’d gotten from the American Cancer Society web site.
My hair fell out. I actually dealt with this pretty well - it’s just hair and I had decided ahead of time I was going to view it as the medication literally PUSHING the cancer out of my body. However, I am a prissy girl, and my Daddy didn’t call me Princess for nothing. I was one of the lucky ones whose insurance paid for a wig, but I needed more than a wig. I needed something a loving family and friends, committed doctors and a deep faith couldn’t give me. I needed a MAKEOVER!!!! That was when I found out about this great program called Look Good…Feel Better. More than being a makeover for my appearance, it was a makeover for my heart and soul as I was able to share time with other women who understood just what I was going through.
I came out of that session feeling NOT like a patient, but like a SURVIVOR. It was at that moment I knew that as soon as I was able I was going to training to become a Look Good…Feel Better volunteer. Since then it has been my privilege to be able to help other women the way I was helped. It’s been such a positive experience. I’ve also become a volunteer for The American Cancer Society.
It probably seems an odd thing to say, but cancer does bring its gifts. Being able to pay forward through my volunteer work with Look Good…Feel Better has been one of the greatest it’s given me. Volunteering isn’t a job, it’s a privilege.