The Maison bien-être, located at 7 Francis-Davso in the 1st arrondissement of Marseille, is one of five support spaces offered by the Ligue contre le cancer des Bouches-du-Rhône, a local branch of a national French cancer-fighting organization. Open since 2021, it operates in a 200 square meter space at the departmental headquarters of the association and welcomes between 400 and 500 members on average. Attendance at the departmental structures has increased by 18% compared to 2025, particularly with the opening of supportive care in La Ciotat.
The Maison bien-être offers activities and supportive care to people affected by cancer, from diagnosis up to two years of remission. Services include psychological support, hairdressing, adapted sports, socio-esthetic or cooking workshops, and each member pays an annual symbolic fee of 20 euros. Each beneficiary has a package of four workshops per year. Once a month, career return coaching helps those affected to reposition themselves on the job market, and a dietician also intervenes with cooking classes.
The Ligue prefers supportive care that fits into its support framework, excluding practices such as fire cutters, reflexology, and massage. The services complement medical treatments and focus on daily activities and care. The most represented age group among beneficiaries is 40-59 years, accounting for 41% of the members. Those aged 60-74 account for 32%, ahead of those aged 74 and older (13%), those aged 25-39 (12%), and those aged 18-24 (2%).
Among the people currently being supported, 193 are identified as having breast cancer. However, many member files do not specify the type of cancer, making this figure indicative rather than precise. The place supports people during their care journey and also in the months that follow, referring them to other structures such as sports-health houses or support coordination devices.
Laure Youinou, a socio-esthetician for more than twenty years, specializes in oncology and palliative care and has been working at the Maison bien-être for three years. She also works in the hospital environment, notably in the chemotherapy department of the Casamance clinic in Aubagne. Her role is to practice esthetics to assist a population suffering from physical, psychological, or moral pain. Before each workshop, she goes around the table to learn about the ongoing treatments of the participants, adapting the advice to the nature of the treatments and their stage of advancement.
The loss of eyelashes and eyebrows, especially during chemotherapy for breast cancer, can change makeup habits. Laure Youinou recommends avoiding mascara when eyelashes start to fall, as it can weigh them down. The advice also covers skin care, particularly to deal with the dryness of the skin caused by certain treatments. Participants learn to adapt their gestures and choose products compatible with their situation.
On the occasion of Pink October, the Ligue reminds the importance of breast cancer screening, encouraging women aged 50 to 74 to participate in organized screening, which is based on a mammogram every two years in the absence of a specific risk requiring a specific follow-up. Breast cancer affects about one in eight women during their lifetime. If detected early, it can be cured in nine out of ten cases, recalls the Ligue. On October 7, the association will organize its traditional gala evening at the Palais du Pharo in Marseille, in the presence of more than 160 donors. The raffle and auctions have raised 130,000 euros, which will be allocated to a research program labeled on breast cancer, led by the Institut Paoli-Calmettes (IPC) and the Centre de recherche en cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM).
Support Center in Marseille Offers Holistic Care for Cancer Patients
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