ONKO BEAUTY – The power of beauty, support and unity for oncology patients

The ONKO BEAUTY Patients' Association is the first Croatian association to fully dedicate itself to an extremely sensitive and often neglected topic: the visible side effects of oncology therapies and their strong psychological impact on women undergoing treatment for malignant diseases. In a period when the body is changing, identity is shaken, and everyday life is filled with uncertainty, it is precisely these external changes – loss of hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, skin changes, scars and sensitivity – that can have a profound impact on emotional stability and a sense of self-worth.

ONKO BEAUTY emphasizes that this is not about superficial aesthetics, but about a much deeper dimension — about restoring dignity, self-confidence and control over one's own body, even if in small, gentle steps.

“Beauty is therapy,” the association says. “The point is not in the makeup, but in seeing a woman again — and recognizing her.”

A mission that changes lives

ONKO BEAUTY's goal is simple, yet profoundly transformative: to empower women undergoing cancer treatment, restore their self-confidence, and provide them with moments of care that are just as important to them as any other woman.

In moments when it seems like the disease is taking over, these moments of care become an anchor — a reminder that a woman's worth is not measured by her diagnosis, but by the strength, courage, and self-love she manages to maintain.

Workshops that bring knowledge, smiles, and togetherness

What sets ONKO BEAUTY apart from other organizations is not just its approach, but also its method of work: interactive beauty workshops specifically designed for women undergoing cancer therapy. They involve:

• professional make-up artists

• skin and scalp care experts

• dermatological consultants

• wellness therapists and educators

The Onko Beauty Association is the first Croatian association focused on providing support to women suffering from malignant diseases in the form of beauty workshops.

Each workshop is carefully designed to provide women with knowledge, practical skills, and emotional support. Participants learn how to care for their extremely sensitive skin, how to apply makeup when they don’t have eyebrows or eyelashes, how to cover up the signs of therapy, or highlight what they love about their face and body. But what happens “between the lines” is even more important: laughter, conversation, trust, belonging.

“We have tears and hugs and lots of laughter at the workshops,” say the founders. “These are moments when women feel again that they are not alone, that someone understands them, and that it is okay to be gentle with yourself even when you are fighting the biggest battle.”

Each participant goes home with products that are safe to use during oncology treatments — and more importantly, they leave feeling worthy of care and love.

An experience that gives credibility and warmth

The uniqueness of ONKO BEAUTY is deeply personal: all four founders have themselves been through breast cancer treatment, chemotherapy, and a mastectomy. They know what that journey looks like — not from a book, not from a lecture, but from their own bodies, their own mirrors, and their own struggles.

That’s why their mission has a weight and authenticity that can’t be taught or faked.

They don’t just lead workshops — they provide firsthand experience, understanding, and love.

“We know what it’s like to look in the mirror without hair or eyebrows. We know what it’s like when your body changes and you lose the feeling of being the same person. And that’s why we know how much it means when someone reminds you that you’re still beautiful. That you’re worth it. That you’re not a lesser woman because you’re sick.”

That’s the foundation of ONKO BEAUTY: support that’s not theoretical, but authentically lived.

A community that restores strength

ONKO BEAUTY is not just an association — it’s a community of brave women, a place where:

• experiences are shared

• friendships are born

• the fear of asking “will I be me again?” disappears

• beauty becomes a tool for healing

• and support becomes a path to inner strength

In the warm atmosphere of the workshops, participants learn how to rebuild their relationship with themselves and their bodies, how to find joy in small rituals, how to allow themselves tenderness and softness even when the struggles are greatest.

A big heart that needs community support

What many do not know is that ONKO BEAUTY currently operates without permanent sources of funding. All workshops, products and programs are made possible by:

• the personal commitment of the founders

• the volunteer work of experts

• donations from individuals and companies that believe in their mission

In order to hold the planned workshops in the coming years

and expand to even more cities, they need the support of partners, donors and brands that recognize how important it is to provide women undergoing treatment with quality and safe products.

Every donation — a small set of products, educational materials or larger corporate support — directly translates into the smile and strength of a woman fighting for her life.

Beauty as therapy, togetherness as medicine

At a time when illness is often discussed through statistics, drugs, and numbers, ONKO BEAUTY reminds us of what cannot be found in medical protocols — humanity.

Warmth.

Tenderness.

The healing value that comes from togetherness.

ONKO BEAUTY is a place where women meet themselves again.

Where they discover that it is okay to love their bodies, even when they are wounded.

And where they slowly, gently, but surely — return to themselves.