Woman creates ‘healing baskets’ to arm women facing cancer battle

A cancer survivor is creating ‘healing baskets’ to help other cancer sufferers during chemotherapy.

Adele Connah was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2020, and underwent six months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy at the Liverpool Clatterbridge Centre. Going through a hard time during treatment Adele discovered products which gave relief from the effects of chemotherapy and other treatments.

She said: “I remember the words echoing in my head, ‘you have breast cancer and a very aggressive cancer’. My diagnosis was triple negative breast cancer, I remember saying I’ve got the worst one.”

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During her journey she had no idea what would help ease the side effects of the various treatments, so she sought advice from nurses at the centre and other patients on what products could help soften the impact of cancer therapy.

Adele said: “I talked to some of the ladies and nurses about what I was feeling . The nurses gave advice on what they had heard helped other people’s journey to relieve some of the side effects”.

Now in remission, Adele is putting together ‘healing baskets’ of the products she found were most effective. She said: “What gave me the idea is I wished I had these products before the side effects started rather than search for them as it was happening.

“Eyebrows and eyelashes to stop people staring at you trying to work out what’s missing. Most of all I never want another person to have to go through this without being armed with at least something to help their journey and know what they need.

While receiving chemotherapy it gives a bad taste in the mouth and products in the Healing Baskets help with this, Adele said: “Ginger biscuits are great when you lose your taste. Humbugs were fantastic to be honest, but actually do the same as ginger biscuits”.

Adele is now raising money to create more baskets to help as many women as she can facing cancer treatment. She told the ECHO : “When the women received these the Linda McCartney Centre had great feedback and decided their next fundraiser would go on these baskets and I got a call to inform me of the great news. They also said they would have never known to put these together and the money will get spent to help the people going through chemotherapy.

“My aim is to raise as much as I can and continue to make these baskets with all the help I can get.”

Maria, who met Adele while receiving treatment, received a basket. Maria said: “I was so scared as I had an allergic reaction to chemotherapy and my nurse asked Adele to speak to me, it was so helpful and had all the right stuff to help me on my journey.

“It had transfer eyebrows and false eyelashes which made me feel so much better with my appearance. The blister pill pack for my medication was a lifesaver for me and olive oil to help my eyelashes and eyebrows grow back after treatment ended.

‘I’m so glad I met someone who could help me through this treatment. Adele helped me with my fear, guided me through my treatment and we have remained friends ever since”.

Adele added: “My treatment has ended and I just need a little more surgery, more on a cosmetic side, now I’m in remission. I was suffering with my insecurities of the new me and the products I bought are everything that I put into these baskets”.

For more information contact Clatterbridge Liverpool.