Finding Confidence at Every Age
- As 62-year-old Deborah Robbins-Giles is in the running for the 2023 Ms Great Britain Classic, it’s great to see her exuding confidence, something cancer survivors can find inspiration in.
- The British mom of five labradoodles is a Ms Great Britain contestant for “all the ‘older’ ladies out there,” she explained in her welcome video for the pageant.
- Cancer can certainly affect one’s self-esteem and body image. And Deborah Robbins-Giles’ excitement, determination and confidence is an inspiration to anyone fighting disease.
- Some things older adults can do to boost confidence and self-esteem is eating healthy, staying active, and creating strong relationships.
From Dudley, England, she retired from her job as a control room worker for West Midlands Ambulance Service and now considers herself “a lady of leisure.” Robbins-Giles has decided to be in the running for Ms Great Britain Classic, a competition for women aged 45 and older, for “all the ‘older’ ladies out there,” she explained in her welcome video for the pageant.

The sexagenarian go-getter has insisted that “life doesn’t finish at 60” and is hoping to raise thousands of dollars for Cancer Research UK in honor of her later mother, according to The Sun.
According to the news outlet, Robbins-Giles also recently said: “For my poor mum it was too late when she went. She just went down really quickly. I’d love other ladies to put in for it really because it is great, you meet nice people and it’s just good for yourself. Life doesn’t finish at 60.”
“I’m going to enjoy all aspects of [the pageant]. I’m going to enjoy the charity side and the publicity,” she said in the welcome video clip, posted on the official pageant’s website, explaining herself.
Coping During or After Cancer
According to the Miss Great Britain official web page, “Miss Great Britain is the oldest and most prestigious pageant in the UK” and the final competition will take place on October 20th and 21st this year in Leicester.
Earlier this year, Robbins-Giles took to Facebook to announce she had been accepted into the Ms.Great Britain Classic finals.
“Woohoo!!! Made it to Ms.Great Britain Classic finals,for those who don’t know what this photo signifies,” she wrote. “I am VERY excited.!!!! ‘Getting older is a privilege denied to some,live it to the max!!'”
Robbins-Giles also notes in a comment on her Facebook page that her husband Paul was the one who entered her into the pageant – something she appears to be extremely grateful for.
“Well, how proud am I? The Hubster entered me for the pageant,” she wrote in another one of her Facebook posts.
Body Image & Cancer
Cancer can certainly affect one’s self-esteem and body image. Though Deborah Robbins-Giles is not a cancer survivor herself, the excitement and determination she has for the upcoming pageant, along with the confidence she exudes along the way, is an inspiration to anyone fighting disease.
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Appreciating your body and all that it has overcome is a beautiful thing, just as Robbins-Giles shows. We only get one body in this life, so we might as well love the one we’re in.
According to a 2010 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology on confidence and self-esteem, the amount of confidence or self-esteem a person feels “gradually rises during the late teen years, peaks during middle age, and tends to decline after age 60,” Harvard Health Publishing reports.
The reason behind this change in confidence could is that older adults often lose their positions of power, status or importance when they age.
Fred Silverstone, a licensed mental health counselor and founder of the SAGE (Successful Aging through Group Engagement) program at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital, urges anyone aging, “Don’t feel badly if you can’t do everything you once did, or at the same level or intensity. The goal is to focus on what you can do now and build from there. This will help show you that you have much to offer and can still enjoy an active, satisfying life.”
According to support organization Mary T Inc, older adults can do the following to increase self-esteem as they age:
- Create strong social bonds
- Practice good personal hygiene
- Don’t listen to negative stereotypes
- Exercise and eat healthy
- Practice independence when possible
Achieving body positivity is, of course, easier said than done. And cancer survivors may struggle more than others during or after their cancer journeys.
Celebrity Stylist Ann Caruso on Beauty and Femininity After Cancer
Take Ann Caruso, for example. She underwent 12 surgeries to treat her breast cancer and told SurvivorNet about how all of the changes really impacted the way she saw her body.
“You're not the same carefree person that you once were, and it was very hard for me to look at myself every day,” Caruso said. “It was like I was a totally different person and didn't fit into any of my clothes for so long.”
However, as time passed, Caruso healed. Looking back on her breast cancer experience has helped her redefine femininity and body image.
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“Femininity is a state of mind,” Caruso said. “And I think that's something that we have to remind ourselves.”
Jaclyn Kaczynski, another breast cancer survivor, had a similar experience after her diagnosis at 37.
My Confidence Was Destroyed: Dealing With Body Image During Cancer Treatment
“My confidence was gone,” she told SurvivorNet. “My confidence was destroyed. I was always vain about my appearance and my weight, let alone losing a breast, or both.”
Some people find empowerment in going “flat” after losing their breasts to the disease, but Kaczynski found confidence in reconstruction. There's no right or wrong answer for breast cancer survivors, but it's important to consider all your options and go forward with whatever path is best for you.
"I just had my reconstructive surgery. My favorite doctor was able to make it happen for me,” she explained. “It's amazing how much more confidence I have within the past three weeks.”
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Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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