Bridging the Gaps: Identifying Practical and Emotional Needs in Cancer Care

Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) is a national charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people facing cancer. We do this by educating and empowering individuals to manage the appearance-related and psychosocial impacts of cancer and its treatment. Our workshops and resources are designed to help people feel more like themselves again by offering practical, compassionate support for dealing with visible and often distressing side effects—such as hair loss, changes to the skin, and other physical impacts. LGFB programs are offered free of charge, both online and in person, at over 80 hospitals and cancer centres across Canada.

Our programming is grounded in research that shows how psychosocial interventions, like LGFB’s workshops, can reduce depression, improve self-esteem, and enhance quality of life for people with cancer. While our work has focused primarily on the visible side effects of treatment, LGFB also aims to fill broader gaps in supportive care that are not always addressed within the healthcare system.

Despite growing evidence of the benefits of psychosocial support, access remains inequitable and fragmented across Canada. People facing cancer often lack access to low-intensity, universal supports that can prevent more serious mental health issues from emerging. Many report receiving information about physical side effects of treatment, but fewer feel they have adequate support for emotional or practical concerns. This unmet need extends well beyond the active treatment phase into survivorship.

LGFB is seeking to understand which types of supportive care are most needed and valued, and where the biggest gaps lie across the cancer journey. This research represents an innovative shift for LGFB: from solely delivering supportive programs to also contributing to national knowledge about how to best design and deliver psychosocial care for people affected by cancer.

Faculty Supervisor:

Meredith Rocchi;Sophie Lebel

Student:

Partner:

Look Good Feel Better

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

University of Ottawa

Program: