Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

MELISSA BERRY
Beauty doesn’t have to go on the backburner while living with cancer. In her new cW column, Cancer Fashionista creator Melissa Berry provides a one-stop shop for warriors seeking style.

I’m smiling from ear to ear as I write this column. It’s also very surreal to me. 

I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer seven years ago. My diagnosis will be forever etched in my memory. But I promised myself that I would never allow breast cancer to steal my dignity or make me feel like less of a woman. Truth be told, like many women who are treated for breast cancer, I was convinced I would never look or feel sexy again.

My mission is to ensure that nobody feels defeated. To make sure that my “little sisters,” as I like to call them, feel like the same beautiful women that they were before being diagnosed. Easier said than done, right?

Here’s my background: I was a fashion and beauty publicist, running around New York City attending glamorous events, photo shoots, fashion shows and even hopping on a plane once in a while to another country to do the same. My life was not a far cry from what you’d see in a “Sex and the City” episode or in the popular film “The Devil Wears Prada.” 

Then came my breast cancer diagnosis. Once I learned about my course of treatment, I did what any fashionista would do—I jumped online and Googled numerous terms like: 

  • “Post-mastectomy bras” 
  • “How to tie a head wrap” 
  • “Post-chemotherapy eyelash solutions” 
  • “What kind of deodorant to wear upon breast cancer diagnosis” 
  • “Hair loss and regrowth due to chemotherapy”

And so on. None of these items were all in one place. But worst of all, many of the products that I did find looked very surgical. It was a far cry from a Carrie Bradshaw moment, that’s for sure.

So I created a list of products and experts who not only offered solutions to my fashion- and beauty-related issues, but also sophisticated—dare I even say sexy—items that resonated with the pre-breast cancer me. Soon, my friends and family asked me for “the list” because someone else near and dear to them was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

One day, while I was in the thick of my chemotherapy treatment, a close friend of mine named Tina (she was my arms and legs throughout my treatment) said to me, “You ought to start a blog, Melissa, so everyone can have access to these resources.” I looked at her and said, “Tina, I can’t even make dinner. I’m going to start a blog?!” 

And, of course, I did. 

Sometimes, when we’re in the middle of a difficult chapter, the best way to forge ahead is to help others who are going through a similar experience. Scouring the internet for breast cancer related products, experts, tips and tricks was a great distraction for me. In fact, it helped me to heal. But nothing makes me happier than helping my little sisters.

Today, I’m a breast cancer thriver and continue to keep my eyes wide open for great products. I’ve made it my duty to review and share the best of the best with all of you. When I met Cancer Wellness editor-in-chief Caylei Vogelzang, let’s just say that I knew that she—just like her magazine—was one of my great finds. Finally, a magazine that offers up really useful yet stylish content including fashion, beauty, nutrition and wellness all with the cancer patient, thriver and caregivers in mind. 

I’m beyond honored to join the Cancer Wellness family with my “Everyday Runway” column that you’ll find here on the third Monday of every month. I’ll be sharing all of my favorite things with you and can’t wait to get to know you and see how I can help you look and feel fabulous throughout your cancer treatment and beyond. 

With so much love,

Melissa Berry aka Cancer Fashionista 

More
articles

HEAD SCARVES
Fashion

Head Scarves

You never had a choice in your diagnosis, but that doesn’t mean your style must go out the window.

Read More »
Lida Sherafatmand
Coping Strategies & Techniques

State of the Art

Health care settings with meaningful artwork have reported improved patient experiences. Iranian painter Lida Sherafatmand is working to ensure that such settings become the norm.

Read More »
Finance

Facing Cancer

It may be an uncomfortable task to tackle, but preparing your estate before passing can answer any lingering questions from grieving friends and family members as well as provide a smooth transition for those who might have to make difficult decisions.

Read More »
CANCER FATIGUE
Complementary Medicine

Fighting the Fatigue

Drowsiness can be a doozy. Oncology nurse, personal trainer and exercise specialist Jenny Spencer is working to help warriors cope with cancer-related fatigue through fitness.

Read More »
CANCERLAND ANAONO FASHION SHOW
Breast Cancer

#fearLESS – The 2020 Cancerland AnaOno Fashion Show

AnaOno Intimates, a lingerie brand designed for people affected by breast cancer, hosted their fourth annual fashion show last week in New York City, which featured courageous cancer survivors, thrivers, and supporters wearing fun & fearless fashions.

Read More »