Empowered by Devices: A Device Drive for Afghan Refugees
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November • 2021 The power of positive, solution-based journalism.
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Looking Good, Feeling Better: Adriana’s Story of Strength At just 17 years old, Adriana Lombardo was diagnosed with leukemia. The high school senior’s life was turned upside down. While she did manage to graduate with her friends, she had to defer her college acceptance to begin a rigorous treatment plan, which involved two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy and a heavy dose of steroids, followed by a hip replacement. As Adriana went through treatment, she lost her hair and eyebrows, gained 60 pounds from steroids, and found it chal-
ADRIANA LOMBARDO © MARK SHORT
lenging to not recognize herself anymore. Searching for a sense of control over her appearance, she signed up for a Look Good Feel Better workshop. For 30 years, LGFB has been helping women and teens facing cancer feel more like themselves again by providing supportive care through workshops on skincare, cosmetics, hair alternatives, plus panel discussions with experts and workshops specific to teens. “Look Good Feel Better gave me the tools, the confidence, the support that I needed,” Adriana said. “It allowed me to be me and feel good about myself even if I didn’t look or feel like myself. And it’s not just the makeup—it’s how you feel after leaving the workshop, the support, the love, the connections that you make.” “I instantly felt welcomed,” Adriana remembered. “The energy was coming from the volunteers and the patients, too. A group of people with strength, courage, and hope. For that moment, we
could forget we had cancer.” Adriana knew that she wanted to give back and inspire others to feel the way she did after attending the workshop. Adriana, now 24, is a certified Personal Trainer and uses her experience to educate women about the importance of putting themselves first. “Making it to the gym or just going for a walk are celebrations of what our bodies are capable of,” she said. “We can become fixated on how we look, but cancer taught me that it’s about feeling strong and empowered.” As an LGFB Ambassador, Adriana raises awareness for the program and self-care during cancer. She shares her story and experiences through her blog, providing helpful tips and letting her readers know they are not alone. Most recently, Adriana shared her best health and fitness tips in the 30th Anniversary edition of the Look Good Feel Better magazine. Find out more about it at lgfb.ca.
BEAUTIFUL. RESILIENT. ME. Cancer doesn’t define who I am.
Join us at a Look Good Feel Better workshop. Learn to manage the appearance-related effects of cancer together with a group of supportive women. Visit lgfb.ca to sign up and for more resources just for you.
@LGFBCanada
A Fashion Resistance: Afghan-Australian Designer Anjilla Seddeqi Shares Tradition Through Dresses and Dolls towards the end of the Soviet-Afghan war. She attended the Designers and fashion lovers University of Sydney, receiving a alike have long spread a message Master’s degree in International of self-expression through the Law and interning for the Unitway we adorn ourselves. For ed Nations High Commissioner Kabul-born fashion designer for Refugees (UNHCR) in the Anjilla Seddeqi, that means Australian city of Canberra. sharing a vision of tradition and After graduating, Seddeqi spent a love of Afghan culture. five years working with law The Australia-based designer firms, even going to Australia’s is known for her collections Christmas Island to provide legal of ladylike dresses that are representation to asylum seekers effortlessly feminine, elegant, who arrived by boat. and sophisticated. Her reSeddeqi says her goal was always to highlight the design and fined designs draw inspiration textile traditions of Afghanistan, a from the bright, intricate, and country that is one of the world’s embellished traditional dress biggest cashmere wool producers of Afghan women. Seddeqi is among the many Afghan women but rarely the subject of positive who use their designs to share a headlines in the global media. “One of the main reasons I left love for their heritage in protest law to pursue a career in fashion against the Taliban’s new dress was to highlight the culture and code for female students and traditions of Afghanistan,” she help women affected by the explains. “For far too long the movement’s return. narrative in the west has been that Seddeqi, who trained as a lawyer before pursuing a fashion Afghanistan is perpetually at war and in conflict. But Afghanistan career, moved to Australia in 1989 with her immediate family and its people are more than that, RAYE MOCIOIU
and we are not defined by the relentless violence, invasions, and foreign interference that we have been subjected to. We are proud, cultured, and hospitable people and that is what I want to shine upon in my designs.” Fashion design was also a way to distract from the harrowing cases she dealt with during her legal career. What began as a personal project soon blossomed into a career, one that has allowed her to make her mark in the world of modest fashion. “With the advent of the Taliban, I have become even more determined to share with the world our traditional dress and heritage and fight for women’s rights through fashion,” Seddeqi shares. “We have to resist oppression through art, fashion, and design, and we have to do it at all times. The images of Afghan women in their traditional dress flooding social media with the hashtag #donottouchmyclothes is a fantastic example of that activism we need in these times.
“With this intention in mind, my very good friend Stephanie Boyle and I started an initiative that is close to my heart, and which will directly assist the women and children of Afghanistan, my country of birth.” Arezu Dolls are handmade with love and hope by Afghan women living as refugees in India. The dolls are made from eco-friendly Indian cotton that otherwise would have been discarded as waste. 100 percent of the purchase will go towards this goal via the UNHCR. Each doll comes in a special box complete with bedding, a personal card that introduces her name, her origin, and her favourite things. It’s a way of sharing a little bit of Afghan culture and heritage by way of something beautiful and sentimental. “In times of crisis and heartbreak, it is imperative that we remain hopeful, and strive to transform our fear and helplessness into positive actions that lead to progress, however small,” Seddeqi says.
© STEPHANIE BOYLE
Filling the Gap in Eating Disorder Services Eating Disorders (EDs) are serious conditions impacting both mental and physical health. The consequences are often severe, as EDs account for the second-highest mortality rates among all mental health disorders. Those dealing with EDs are more likely to have heart problems, bone density issues, neurological issues, and are often at high risk of suicidality. They are also likely to experience intense strains on their personal relationships and have trouble functioning at school or work.
© PHOTO COURTESY OF SHEENA’S PLACE
Debra Katzman, a leader in ED treatment at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, recently wrote that there has been a long-standing underinvestment in eating disorders by our health system. Furthermore, efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, such as physical distancing, hand-washing, and mask-wearing, along with school closures, disruptions in routines, disconnection from peers, and restrictions on extra-curricular activities, have led to increases in ED symptoms among children. It has been
documented that increased time spent on social media platforms promoting unattainable beauty standards also contributes to increases in the prevalence of EDs. Factor in reduced access to healthcare and mental health services, job and food insecurity, and restricted social connectivity, it’s not surprising that service providers are reporting unprecedented demands from both children and adults, not just locally, but internationally. For 25 years, Sheena’s Place (SP) has provided support for individuals with eating disorders and their families, free of charge. The team at Sheena’s Place is committed to minimizing barriers to accessing services, resulting in a unique experience that participants are unlikely to find elsewhere. Before the pandemic, the services were offered out of “the house,” a warm and welcoming environment just off the northwest corner of the University of Toronto. Visitors were welcomed with the offer of tea or coffee and support, regardless of a referral or diagnosis. There was always a ser-
vice they could access without being placed on a long waitlist. The program team has worked hard over the years to respond to the community’s needs, building programs up to feature artsbased, nutrition-focused, body image and movement groups, as well as some that focus on skill-building. There are also many support groups as participants benefit significantly from building connections and a sense of community. “I struggled with isolation prior to the pandemic… In addition to ED, I have severe anxiety, depression, and fatigue. The online groups have opened up a world of possibilities. I needed this more than I realised, and I can’t thank Sheena’s Place and its wonderful team enough.”
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engaging virtually, showing up for themselves and each other, and ensuring continuity of care. In 2020, nearly 900 individuals benefited from Sheena’s Place’s services. In 2021, during the silver anniversary, Sheena’s Place is tracking to outpace that number. Before the pandemic, participants were required to attend the house physically. With online offerings, individuals are now able to engage from anywhere in Ontario. This year, in response to the growing demand, services were expanded. While many are looking forward to the day when staff and participants can return safely to meet in person, SP plans to continue to devote resources to keep meeting the needs of folks outside of the GTA.
On November 25, Sheena’s In March of 2020, the team Place will host a virtual event made a swift pivot to online ser- to celebrate the past twentyvices. Sheena’s Place staff, along five years of serving those with with their roster of facilitators, EDs and to look ahead to very quickly and diligently what the future may hold. For adapted the programming. more information, please visit The participants responded by sheenasplace.org.
