“I’ve been fit and well all my life, then all of a sudden had a serious disease to contend with.”

In August 2021, Phil, 46, received the devastating news that he had stage 4 high grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, a network of vessels and glands spread throughout your body.

Just 6 weeks later after his diagnosis, a biopsy confirmed a double hit lymphoma which involves two genetic mutations, a rare diagnosis, most common in people over 60.

“I’d been unwell for a few weeks leading up to my diagnosis. I lost 10kg in weight in just 5 weeks, I looked awful. My clothes were hanging off me and I didn’t look or feel well.

A lot of people commented on how I looked. Not in a nasty way, but it doesn’t do anything for your confidence.”

Phil started chemotherapy immediately, and it was whilst at Hospital that he noticed a poster for the Look Good Feel Better workshops. Admitting he didn’t think anything of it, he noticed a post online later that evening and booked on straight away.

“The Look Good Feel Better workshops came at just the right time.

“I was confined to the house. Being outgoing and active before-hand, you lose that side of you very quickly.”

Phil attended the Virtual Men’s Skincare and Grooming workshop and the Men’s Body Confidence workshop over the next two months.

He said: “It was nice to meet other people going through a similar situation and although we were all on different parts of our cancer journey, we had one thing in common, which was that we weren’t feeling our best.”

Achieving a complete metabolic remission, which he says is thanks to the unwavering support from his family, friends and dedicated cancer charities, the project manager from Milton Keynes now has his mind on his return to work.

“I was conscious that I didn’t want to go back to work looking unwell.

Look Good Feel Better helped me to make the best of myself. I now have wardrobe essentials and clothes to suit my body shape, which changed during treatment and my skin looks and feels better. I have a whole routine now.

“I can’t wait to start showing off the person I am now, as the last few months I’ve just been someone who’s been ill.”