£40,000 of donations purchases cold caps for cancer patients

Karen using one of the new cooling caps.

For many, especially women, losing your hair during your cancer treatment is just one step too far. It can take away your identity and leave you lacking confidence at a time when you’re already feeling low and fatigued.

One way that can help reduce hair loss during chemotherapy treatment is for patients to wear a cold cap. This helps to reduce the temperature of the hair follicles which protects them during the treatment, helping to reduce hair loss in many.

In the last year, Hampshire Hospitals Charity has invested over £40,000 in providing cold cap machines that could help up to 20 local people each week.

One of those benefitting from the new machines is Karen Danks. “I read all the literature and I thought ‘gosh, this is going to be cold’. I was braced for it but, once I got over the initial rush of putting it on, I adjusted to it and it’s never felt uncomfortable.

“It’s really helping me to deal with what’s happening to me. It’s a commitment but when you understand what it will help you with, you’re prepared to put in the time.”

Before the cold cap is worn, the hair is dampened with water, a layer of conditioner is then applied which stops the cold cap sticking to the patient’s head. The cold caps is then worn before medication is administered to help cool the follicles, and continues to be worn throughout the treatment and for a further hour afterwards.

Amy Moore, Senior Sister at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, who cares for patients undergoing cancer treatment said; “Even though it lengthens your stay in the chair, many people are choosing to use the cool caps. They want to try to help reduce their hair loss where they can, and improve their body image, to help give them some confidence while they’re being treated.

“While they’re typically used by women receiving treatment for breast cancer, it can help anyone going through chemotherapy and we have a couple of men using them at the moment too. The most important thing for me in having these cool caps is that we’re able to offer people a choice in their care. We can’t promise that it will work for everyone, but being able to give them the option to try it is fantastic.

“It’s a real honour to be able to offer people this kind of care and I want to thank everyone who has donated to Hampshire Hospitals Charity to help us purchase this life enhancing piece of equipment.”

The cooling caps are now being used at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital and are having a huge positive effect on patients’ mental health.

To support further work like this, you can donate to Hampshire Hospitals Charity here.