A non-profit organization is actively spreading awareness about a groundbreaking treatment that offers hope to cancer patients, allowing them to retain their hair while undergoing chemotherapy.
Ingrid Harger, the wife of KIRO Newsradio Director Charlie Harger, faced this daunting challenge following her breast cancer diagnosis, which required both surgery and chemotherapy. Her initial concern, like many patients, was the impending hair loss that typically accompanies chemotherapy.
“The first question I asked my oncologist was, ‘Will I lose my hair?’ and he said, ‘Yes,'” Ingrid recounted.
For numerous patients, especially women, the loss of hair is one of the most distressing and dreaded side effects of chemotherapy, a medical procedure that targets fast-growing cells within the body.
Ingrid Harger emphasized that this issue transcends mere aesthetics. “A lot of times, you’re losing a part of your body, and your sense of femininity is just rocked, and you don’t even feel like yourself anymore,” she stated. “And, to add insult to injury, you’re losing your hair, which for a lot of women, and for myself, it was part of my identity.”
However, Ingrid was fortunate to have been introduced to scalp cooling technology by her doctor. This technology has proven effective in some cases, enabling patients to retain their hair during chemotherapy.
Nancy Marshall, the co-founder of The Rapunzel Project, shed light on how this innovative solution works and the pivotal role of cold in the process. “The cold constricts the blood vessels that lead to the hair follicles, and if there’s very little blood flow to the hair cells in the scalp, then basically the chemo drugs don’t get there,” explained Marshall.
Patients have the option of using cold caps, which are chilled with dry ice, or specialized machines that maintain scalp coldness. Ingrid Harger chose the latter option.
“It’s basically an ice cap. It’s very cold, so when they turn it on, it feels like a giant brain freeze,” she described. “But then after that, you kind of go numb, so it’s not so bad.”
Ingrid used this technology during each chemotherapy session and remarkably retained most of her hair. However, she cautions that this treatment is not widely accessible.
“I actually had to switch cancer centers to seek out a center that had this equipment and that would allow me to do it because it’s not allowed everywhere,” Ingrid Harger emphasized. Moreover, she had to pay out of pocket for the treatment.
Marshall noted that renting a cold cap can cost between $1500 and $2000, while machine systems typically range from $2000 to $2500. She added that some insurance companies are beginning to cover the treatment, though significant hurdles still exist.
“Every policy has different exclusions; every policy has different deductibles,” Marshall pointed out. “There are so many rules and regulations in insurance that most people just throw their hands up.”
The Rapunzel Project not only advocates for cold cooling technology but also facilitates connections between patients and organizations offering financial assistance. This goes beyond preserving hair; it’s about maintaining one’s identity, empowerment, and privacy.
“It’s not a vanity thing,” Marshall stressed. “It’s identity, it’s empowerment. It’s privacy.”
For patients like Ingrid Harger, it means going through treatment without constantly looking or feeling like a cancer patient.
“It’s a mental health thing for me, at least, and I think for many others that I’ve talked to,” Ingrid Harger concluded.
