I am 59 and sporting the slight fuzziness of a new growth of hair, and I am amazed to see, having been amazed at how beautiful other women are when their heads are shaved, that I too am beautiful.
Having attended the 'Look Good, Feel Better' workshops, I have learnt finally to enjoy playing with makeup and have used my face as a canvas rather than wearing my wig or scarves (although I do resort to hats when out walking in the cold). I love the feel of my new hair and seeing the wayward directions in which it is growing. To my surprise, I am enjoying my temporary baldness. I do not mind having to reassure people who feel embarrassed at having thought me a man. I do not mind the occasional stares. I am who I am and I feel happy and grateful to be alive and feeling well.
But what has really taken me by surprise is the realisation that I too am beautiful. I wish I had realised this when I was growing into a young woman, struggling with body image, but I hope now that I will always carry this awareness, even as my hair grows and life widens once again into the world beyond cancer.
