Adriana Lombaro © Photo by Mark Short
At just 17 years old, Adriana Lombardo was diagnosed with leukemia.
The high school senior’s life was turned upside down. While she did manage to graduate with her friends, she had to defer her college acceptance to begin a rigorous treatment plan, which involved two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy and a heavy dose of steroids, followed by a hip replacement.
As Adriana went through treatment, she lost her hair and eyebrows, gained 60 pounds from steroids, and found it challenging to not recognize herself anymore. Searching for a sense of control over her appearance, she signed up for a Look Good Feel Better workshop.
For 30 years, LGFB has been helping women and teens facing cancer feel more like themselves again by providing supportive care through workshops on skincare, cosmetics, hair alternatives, plus panel discussions with experts and workshops specific to teens.
“Look Good Feel Better gave me the tools, the confidence, the support that I needed,” Adriana said. “It allowed me to be me and feel good about myself even if I didn’t look or feel like myself. And it’s not just the makeup—it’s how you feel after leaving the workshop, the support, the love, the connections that you make.”
“I instantly felt welcomed,” Adriana remembered. “The energy was coming from the volunteers and the patients, too. A group of people with strength, courage, and hope. For that moment, we could forget we had cancer.”
Adriana knew that she wanted to give back and inspire others to feel the way she did after attending the workshop.
Adriana, now 24, is a certified Personal Trainer and uses her experience to educate women about the importance of putting themselves first. “Making it to the gym or just going for a walk are celebrations of what our bodies are capable of,” she said. “We can become fixated on how we look, but cancer taught me that it’s about feeling strong and empowered.”
And as an LGFB Ambassador, Adriana raises awareness for the program and self-care during cancer. She shares her story and experiences through her blog, providing helpful tips and letting her readers know they are not alone.
Most recently, Adriana shared her best health and fitness tips in the 30th Anniversary edition of the Look Good Feel Better magazine. Find out more about it at lgfb.ca
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Look Good Feel Better believes that cancer care needs to treat the whole person, including her well-being and the quality of life of the people that are affected.
