Nalia Wednesdays: "I won't let cancer steal my femininity"

Nalie (center) is pictured at the 2013 CIBC Run For the Cure along with two friends.

My name is Natalie Agustin. My nickname is Nalie. I am a 24 year-old from Montreal, Quebec, and I have cancer.

I was one of those women who though about cancer as “it would never happen to me”, until of course it did. Since I was diagnosed two years ago my life has dramatically changed, and I feel that the hardest challenges were the ones no one prepared me for. The day I woke up to find my hair on my pillow for the first time, my skin and body weight changing over time, and my facial features morphing from intense chemotherapy were some of my toughest challenges, personally.

I know it may sound silly that I cared about trivial things when I was undergoing treatment for a life-threatening illness, but for a cancer patient overcoming those silly struggles gives us the will to get through the real hard stuff, such as surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments.

Nalies first photo-shoot with LGFB in May of 2013. (Make-up by Stella Cornva of the LGFB program).

I promised myself very early on that, not matter what, cancer was not going to steal my femininity, dignity, or self-confidence. Little did I know that the Look Good Feel Better program offered at Montreal Cancer Center would help me make sure that wouldn’t happen.

The trained and professional staff at the LGFB event I attended many months ago helped me cope with the everyday struggles faced by a female with cancer. In just over one hour I was able to network with women facing the same struggles as me, as the staff helped us all learn to do our make-up, wigs, and headscarves in order to dramatically change the way we look.

I can say from experience that looking good really helped me feel better. Through the LGFB program I was able to gain a little bit of myself back, and to a cancer patient that means everything.

I am thrilled to be partnered with the LGFB program of Quebec to share my story and contribute to this amazing cause. I hope you will join me here, on this blog, every Wednesday as I update you on cancer, the LGFB program, and how our upcoming fashion event, Mode Confiance, will help females battling cancer. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instragram through the links above for more updates.

xx Nalie

This is a false account created by students for a class assignment.