"I felt lonely and helpless in the face of the disease", "I did not know how to take care of myself", "I did not find enough information on this subject" ... These assertions are unfortunately all women's observations with cancer, at all ages.

Fortunately, things are moving and beautiful projects do not stop to flourish everywhere. We present you some, as practical as solidarity.

RoseCar, the carpooling that creates the link

Because travel between the patients' homes and the hospital is not always easy because they are not reimbursed by healthcare institutions, the Rose Association has launched RoseCar, a car pooling platform.

An initiative that not only helps one another, but also creates links between patients treated in the same institution to create a kind of "community" per hospital.

How it works ? Patients can register for free on the platform ( carpooling-rosecar.fr ) to offer or find a carpool.

Where to find RoseCar? Bordeaux, a pilot city, offers it in seven establishments (Institut Bergonié, Clinique Tivoli-Ducos, Polyclinique Bordeaux Nord, Haut-L'Ebêque Hospital, Pellegrin Hospital Group, Saint André Hospital). We also find RoseCar in hospitals in Rouen, Toulouse, Marseille, and soon in other big cities like Montpellier, Aix, Nantes or Angers.

A bullet bullet for women with ovarian cancer

Free and distributed in the oncology departments (or ordered at the request of a health professional by email: [email protected]) , "My news bullet: better living with ovarian cancer" is a little fun support to accompany women with ovarian cancer in their daily lives.

What is in it? A notebook, a diary and a diary at the same time, it contains practical advice, but also a lot of information on sometimes taboo subjects such as sexuality . Patients can write appointments, questions to their oncologist, thoughts, ideas, but also find the coordinates of centers of experts or associations.

At the origin of the project, Pharma Mar, a company specializing in oncology and engaged in research and development inspired by the sea to discover molecules with anticancer activity. Anxious to propose a quality work, she entrusted its realization to experts and patients: Dr. Anne Floquet (medical oncologist, member of the scientific council of the Arcagy-Gyneco group and medical consultant for Imagyn), Laëtita Valentin, socio-beautician, AFSOS and Caterine Cerisey, former patient, health editor and blogger. And illustrations by Charlotte Husson, former patient and founder of My Fighting Kit.

A collective intelligence debate to better reconcile illness and work

Cancer @ Work, an association created in 2012 and which brings together companies committed to the subject of cancer and work , is launching a citizen and national debate that will take place from February 1 to May 1, 2018.

After the launch of a dedicated platform ( assembl-civic.bluenove.com/maladie_et_travail/home ), the subject will then be problematized, debated to bring out ideas that can then be deepened and transformed into concrete solutions to develop a future action plan. An initiative that allows "to give voice to the greatest number and co-build an action plan to reconcile illness and work, closer to the needs and expectations of citizens." A consultation that is open to all: ill , caregivers, relatives, active and inactive, colleagues, managers, leaders, caregivers, institutions, associations .. "

"We want to better combine cancer and work to make it a source of shared and sustainable value creation," says Anne-Sophie Tuszynski, founder of Cancer @ Work ( www.canceratwork.com/ )

The Franjynes, an alternative to wigs

Exit the traditional wig , for which women usually have to pay a fortune if they want one of quality. Now, those who have lost their hair as a result of treatment can turn to an alternative: franjynes and frangynettes, "false fringes" for women and girls; available in several colors (golden blond, platinum blond, brown, chestnut, pepper & salt, red, white) as well as turbans ( lesfranjynes.com/).

Behind this brilliant idea, Julie Meunier, suffering from breast cancer in 2015 and today in remission.

"When I lost my hair 15 days after my first chemo, for example, I could not put my wig because it was just not me, we confided the young woman in an interview in 2016. He was out of question that I put the caps of cancer, because it was too 'sick' In short, I learned the knots of turbans, that I decorated false fringes.

Through a blog ( feminityandjy.tumblr.com ) and video tutorials, Julie Meunier teaches patients to use her creations while giving them beauty and well-being advice.

Even Cosmetics, Mister K Fighting Kit ... Beauty at the Heart of Cancer

The socio-aesthetic is a very important support for many women with cancer. A finding that pushed young entrepreneurs to go further by directly offering beauty products designed for these patients.

Thus, Judith Levy and Juliette Couturier, whose mothers were affected by cancer, launched "Even" , a line of cosmetics adapted to this pathology, which because of treatments weakens skin, hair and nails ( www. memecosmetics.com/en/ ). Committed, they have chosen to donate 1% of their turnover generated in 2018 to UNICANCER, which brings together "Centers for the fight against cancer (CLCC), namely twenty private non-profit health institutions, exclusively dedicated to care, research and teaching in oncology. "

Charlotte Husson, in remission after suffering from ovarian cancer in 2013, is the creator of the blog Mister K Fighting Kit. She sells beauty boxes, but also a collection of jewelry, clothing, stationery with inspiring messages, and gives advice to patients. The young woman thus donates 5% of the profits on each sale of her collection every month in search of cancer to Gustave Roussy. ( mister-k-fighting-kit.com/ )

The Tattoo Tattoo Shop, a tattoo parlor dedicated to breast reconstruction

Thanks to a call for donations Alexia Cassar, former researcher in oncology, was able to open the first 3D tattoo parlor specifically dedicated to breast reconstruction ( tattoo3d-reconstruction-cancer-du-sein.fr/ ).

The only specialist in this technique in Europe, she manages to recreate visually the volumes of nipples and nipples with permanent pigments on women who had a mastectomy. Determined to promote and develop therapeutic tattooing, she also works alongside other tattoo artists in the Soeurs d'encre association by Rose Tattoo ( www.soeursdencre.fr/ ).

My Breast Cancer Network, a platform to fight against isolation

It was because she realized that she was struggling to find reliable information and to exchange with other patients during her illness that Laure, 47 years old today, created "My Cancer Network". Sein " in 2014 (monreseau-cancerdusein.com/sign-in).

A "social network for people affected by breast cancer and their loved ones", which allows secure, moderate and free exchanges. The site is also full of practical information with index cards or videos to improve one's knowledge of the disease.