ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, May 2, 1996 TAG: 9605030002
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-4 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: AROUND THE VALLEY LABEL
SOURCE: LISA P. SMITH STAFF WRITER
When Roanoke Valley residents Pat Bruce and Bobbie Bayne were honored recently for helping cancer patients "look good" and "feel better" about themselves, they became the only two Virginians to get the American Cancer Society of Virginia's top volunteer award for 1995.
The society's Sunrise Award recognized the work Bruce and Bayne do in the Look Good ... Feel Better program, which helps women develop skills to improve their appearance while undergoing cancer treatment.
Bruce, a color consultant and a secretary, teaches cancer patients how to apply makeup to help disguise the facial puffiness and combat the dry skin that sometimes result from chemotherapy. She also received the Quality of Life award from the cancer society's Roanoke/Franklin County unit.
Bayne, a tumor specialist at Lewis-Gale Hospital, recruits for the program.
"Bobbie really has been the anchor for the program at the hospital," said Daphne DePuy, executive director for the cancer society's Western Virginia region. "She really has been helpful in getting the hospital behind the program."
Bruce, said DePuy, "helps us so much in maintaining the program and making it work."
Plus, she said, Bruce, who has been with the program since it started locally in 1989, interacts in a sensitive and uplifting way with the patients.
"Pat has the most warm, gentle and caring personality, and also she exhibits a charming sense of humor and puts the patients at ease."
Bruce became involved after seeing a segment about the national program on the "Today" show. "I told them that I wanted to volunteer for the program. I felt that I would be an asset, because I've always been good with people."
Bayne, who got involved through her job, said: "I went to a session one time, and I saw how much good it was doing. And I thought that this was what I wanted to do."
During the quarterly sessions, patients not only learn about makeup, they also learn about hair care and accessories. Some patients, however, can't use all of the makeup.
"I do tell them to be very cautious: Some of the cleansers will burn them because of the chemicals in their system from chemotherapy," Bruce said. "They need to talk with their doctors about which makeup would be best for them."
"I felt that it was an honor to be chosen as one of the two volunteers," Bayne said about receiving the Sunrise Award.
"I can't express my feelings about receiving these awards," Bruce said, "but the reward of seeing these people outweighs anything else."
The American Cancer Society is looking for volunteers for the Look Good ... Feel Better program. If you are a licensed National Cosmetology Association member, a licensed cosmetologist or a trained beauty-care professional and would like to volunteer your time, contact the American Cancer Society at 344-8699.
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ROGER HART/Staff. Pat Bruce shows how a simple turbanby CNBmade from a cotton T-shirt can help a cancer patient who has lost
her hair look better and keep her head warm.