“Madame Tout le Monde” (Miss Everybody) was created by Fabienne Roth-Duss, a graphic artist and mother of two little girls. When she found out she had breast cancer, she came up with the idea of using a paper doll as a visual support to explain the illness and its consequences to her children. The “Ligue Contre le Cancer” (League Against Cancer) admired this unique approach, and expressed the wish that children whose mothers suffer from breast cancer as well as their friends and family, could benefit from using this doll. This is how the original paper doll became “Madame Tout-le-Monde,” Miss Everybody. You can now discover this paper doll on this Website.
Dear User,
If you are the mother, or perhaps the grandmother, the aunt, friend, partner, father or grandfather of a child whose life is affected by breast cancer, we invite you to meet “Madame Tout-le-Monde,” Miss Everybody.
The Miss Everybody cutout doll and this website were created to explain to children, in a playful and complete way, what they need to know about breast cancer and its treatment, and about the physical changes that they may cause to the patient. Miss Everybody is meant to help the child, his or her family and close ones to better understand and better deal with the situation.
First, we suggest that you take a look at the site by yourself so that you can select the drawings that best suit your needs. Take the time to think about what you want to talk about with the child, depending on your personal situation. Sometimes, it is not necessary to try and explain everything at once. Miss Everybody allows you to discuss what is going on at the time with you, and with the child. The doll is a visual support that should make it easier for you to talk about what you are going through at any particular point in time. This way, you can use Miss Everybody for each specific phase of your treatment, choosing exactly what you wish to explain to the child. The child should be able to name exactly what he or she sees. For instance, he or she could say, “This is a scar,” or “This is the radiation machine,” and you can help him or her, if necessary.
You can, of course, use the doll to give the child hope and talk about positive things: the short hair of the doll will allow you to explain that hair grows back after chemotherapy treatments are over. The prosthesis will allow you to show that Miss Everybody looks just as usual once her clothes are on. You have certainly understood that the goal is to normalize cancer and its consequences, in a playful way.
Please accept our most fervent wishes for your good health,
Your League Against Cancer
Do not hesitate to contact the league against cancer of your area :
Ligue fribourgeoise contre le cancer :
www.liguecancer-fr.ch/fr/index.cfm
Ligue genevoise contre le cancer :
www.lgc.ch
Ligue jurassienne contre le cancer :
www.liguecancer-ju.ch
Ligue neuchâteloise contre le cancer :
www.liguecancer-ne.ch
Ligue valaisanne contre le cancer :
www.lvcc.ch
Ligue vaudoise contre le cancer :
www.lvc.ch
Or the league against cancer for the whole of Swtzerland : www.liguecancer.ch that will provide links to the league against cancer of your area .
A « My Compass » folder is available for free to any woman with breast cancer in several locations in French-speaking Switzerland.
Contact the « Live like before Romandie » association that brings together woman who have lived with breast cancer: http://www.vivre-comme-avant.ch/ or the league in your area that will give you the relevant information.
