Three transformations

I had my first session at The Haven, a centre offering complementary therapies to women with breast cancer. If I was currently dancing with one of the less glamorous cancers, I’d be jealous of me. This place is amazing. You can tell that just by looking at the door.
And how about the railings?

I’m not quite ready to take you inside, but I will soon. Suffice it to say that last week I joked about “the personal growth opportunity that is breast cancer” and after an hour and a half with Gosia through those doors, I realised they had been true words spoken in jest. The power of the mind really is astonishing, and breast cancer is presenting me with so many ways to grow, something I’d intuited but not really confronted, because I though it sounded a bit stupid, and might offend people. Maybe it does, maybe it will.

I spoke to Alan after coming out. I haven’t taken him through it all yet either, but he said I sounded different (in a good way).

Transformation 2

Haircut time. In keeping with my session at The Haven, I decided that the fact that all of my hair will likely be gone in 6 weeks gives me the chance to do something great with it now. I briefed the wonderful Natalie in Headmasters Wimbledon Broadway to this effect, and she didn’t let me down. Here we are afterwards:

Natalie is the one with more hair. Note our matching ‘I am not very good at having my photo taken and even less so in a crowded public place’ smiles.

Not only did she do a great job (and talk me down from my ‘wouldn’t it be fab to have a Grade 4 all over’ ledge), but she did it while walking the line between compassion and professionalism; she realised that this wasn’t any old haircut for me, and made me very comfortable. Natalie, I thank you.

(I was going to urge you to visit her at this point, but I’m concerned that if lots of women approaching chemotherapy start beating down her door, she’ll have no clients for six months while we all wait to see what colour it grows back. Maybe you should go, but recommend a cancer-free friend with luxuriant tresses and a penchant for regular highlights to balance things out.)

Transformation 3

I took these things. If you are a nutritionist, dietician, or person with high cholesterol please look away now.

And an hour later I had transformed them into these. (Again, nutritionists and dieticians, you won’t like this…)

Baking is so therapeutic.

(Nutritionists and dieticians, please note that the little red things are organic dried cranberries, and they are in the mixture too, as is some 70% cocoa solids dark chocolate. So these are in fact practically a health food. )

Now I have to transform myself into a party goddess. After this much practice, should be a breeze.