About

Our Mission: To bring hope, love and encouragement to women and girls affected by cancer.

Why We Serve: Pain, fatigue, anxiety, and other symptoms are common in those experiencing cancer. In seeking relief, patients increasingly are turning to alternative and complementary programs and therapies, reflecting the growing need for more comprehensive management of these cancer-related symptoms. Several studies suggest that more than 80% of cancer patients may use some form of complementary therapy in conjunction with other standard medical treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Patients normally do not expect these approaches to cure their disease but mainly use them to strengthen their immune system, relieve pain, or manage treatment-related side effects.

Who We Are: Feel Beautiful Today®, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation that was established in September of 2010. The organization partners with cancer centers and hospitals who are focused on providing "Integrative Oncology" -- an approach that looks at the whole patient; body, mind and spirit. FBT is staffed entirely by volunteers, which enables the organization to invest more than 90% of the donations received into fulfilling its mission. Since 2010, FBT has delivered more than 3,800 “Boxes of Love” to women and girls affected by cancer.

Our Approach: Since 2010, FBT has been providing “Workshops for Patients” in collaboration with the Beneficiaries-in-kind hospitals and cancer centers in the Atlanta area. The programs are provided free-of-charge for their oncology patients and survivors. The sole purpose of the workshops is to provide women and girls affected by cancer with an opportunity to change the focus of their attention towards a creative project that aids in their healing process. In these settings, they begin to meet others that are going through a similar situation, which provides hope and enables them to open up. This in turn decreases the amount of stress in the situation.

The group environment that FBT’s workshops foster helps patients to realize that they are “not alone”. With our volunteers’ support and guidance, patients create beautiful handmade bracelets of semiprecious stones designed exclusively for these workshops. The completed bracelets are then packaged up in a beautiful organza bag and placed in a hand painted Paper Mache box. These “Boxes of Love” are decorated with an inspirational message and become our symbolic gift of hope, love and encouragement. The entire process provides the patients and their family members with a sense of accomplishment – especially those who have never created jewelry. The participants in the program also have the option to “pay it forward” by helping to paint boxes for future recipients or donate their boxes to other patients.

Beneficiaries-in-Kind: The list of beneficiaries has grown to include: Atlanta Cancer Care, Cancer Wellness at Piedmont, Children’s at Egleston, Children’s at Scottish Rite, Gwinnett Medical Center, Rally Foundation, The Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, The Cancer Survivors Network at Saint Joseph’s and SEGO, The Northside Hospital Cancer Institute, The Winship Cancer Institute at Emory, and the Wellstar Cancer Network.

Program Feedback:
“When given to our patients, their reaction to your organization’s donation are priceless as they open the box and see this delicate and beautiful piece of jewelry that was made for them. It not only makes our patients “Feel Beautiful Today”, but lets them know that they are cared about and are beautiful every day! … Thank you! Thank you!” DaVida Lee-Williams. Manager, Guest & Volunteer Services, Winship Cancer Institute at Emory.

“Giving the Box of Love with the beautiful jewelry inside creates a truly treasured moment for the patient, a moment to celebrate their accomplishment with a gift made with love. … Feel Beautiful Today has truly created a program filled with love that gives pleasure to many when they need it most.” Janet E. Kempe, Ovarian Cancer Survivor EGO Buddies Program Coordinator.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the success of this first Joined in Hope event. Our staff were really engaged and encouraged, and the caregivers and patients were delighted.” Donna Meyer, Northside Hospital Survivorship Program Coordinator.

“The Feel Beautiful Today foundation brings so much joy to the Aflac Cancer Center. They donate very beautiful bracelets made with glass beads and pearls that always bring a smile to each little girl’s face when she receives it. They also host Mother/Daughter jewelry making events, so the patients may make their own jewelry to wear. This is such a fun event for everyone and brings a fun, positive atmosphere to the hospital. They truly make all the patients "Feel Beautiful Today!” Christina Garrison, Patient Activity Specialist, Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service.