A DUNFERMLINE woman is hoping to help net support for a charity which helped her after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Gail Chisholm, 46, is set to take part in – or officiate at – a netball tournament organised by the Look Good Feel Better charity at Warwick University in March.

The organisation strives to help anyone with a cancer diagnosis feel better about themselves.

Gail found out about their work when she was receiving treatment at the Maggies Centre back in 2019.

Despite her job in financial services, and having her own business as a stylist as well a netball commitments, she decided to volunteer for the charity as a way of giving back and now delivers online workshops to women affected by the disease.

Her efforts landed her the title of Volunteer of the Year at the charity's annual awards ceremony last month.

"It was so nice to be recognised but I know the benefits of having participated," she said. "I love doing it and it has given me so much confidence in terms of the work I do as a stylist.

"It is not just what I give to the charity, it is what it has given back to me. Just that confidence in myself as well and being able to help all these women on the workshop.

"Treatment is a bit of a rollercoaster and it is great to come somewhere where people get you."

Gail helped more than 250 women through her styling workshop last year.

"The workshop I volunteer with is Styling for Confidence," she explained. "It was created during lockdown and is done online. It is a two-hour workshop helping people feel a bit more confident about personal style. I go through understanding colours, your body shape and how to use that.

"We go through quite a lot of specific cancer-related change and this can help with some of these things. Particularly because your body shape can change during treatment. There can be weight gain or weight loss and how do you deal with that?

"A lot of the time, you feel very self-concious, you lose a bit of your own sense of who you are. These workshops are great with practical advice and that support to really help you feel a bit more about yourself.

"Because it is online, it is great that you can access from anywhere. A lot of people can get stuck in a rut with styling and coming to these workshops can be a catalyst for change.

"It is figuring out who are you now. You might want to reassess your life and have a look at your image and how you present to the world. It can be a really positive change."

A skincare and beauty workshop is also on offer while services are also put on to help teens, young adults and men.

"The charity does do what it says on the tin," added Gail. "They do other workshops. Stuff to do with hair loss, hand and nail care because chemotherapy can annihilate your nails.

"It makes you feel so nice for a few hours and distracts you from what is going on with the treatment when you are in a room with people going through it like you are."

Throughout her treatment, Gail continued to work and found comfort in her netball.

She is currently president of the Netball Association in Edinburgh and coaches Fife district under-17s and under-15s, as well as running the Dunfermline Diamonds sessions which take place every week in Woodmill High.

The charity event in March will see Look Good Feel Better and England Netball team up to bring back their annual charity netball tournament.

As well as raising vital funds, the contest will shine a spotlight on the struggles and triumphs of those affected by cancer.

"Look Good Feel Better has been such an amazing support for me and for so many others. I would love to see as many people as possible taking part in the tournament and showing their support for this wonderful charity," added Gail.

"There will be some English netball professionals and it is a state-of-the-art facility so to go and play at a really nice venue with spectators will be good as we are used to playing in gym halls!

"They have got a couple of options in terms of the tournament. We can do it as 'back to netball' and it is a social thing for people returning and having a bit of a laugh and some mixed teams. Also I think there will be something if you are a bit more competitive so it is really inclusive."

To find out more about the tournament, and the work of the charity, visit www.lookgoodfeelbetter.co.uk.