At a glance:
- Diagnosis: Breast Cancer
- Results: Saved 60 – 65% of her hair
- Josie says: “I cannot put a price tag on what the cold caps have done for my self-esteem”
Josie saves her hair on chemo
Josie’s diagnosis and treatment
Josie was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in July 2020.
“At the time, I was bombarded with information overload. Dealing with the diagnosis alone was scary enough, but I also had to quickly make decisions regarding the type of surgery and treatment options.”
Josie made the tough decision to have a double mastectomy with breast reconstruction, followed by chemotherapy after surgery.
Why was saving your hair important?
Josie explains that whilst she felt powerless in the face of her diagnosis and required treatment, the one thing she should control was saving her hair.
“Choosing to save my hair made me feel empowered in a situation that, in all other ways, I had absolutely no control over.”
Why did you choose Penguin Cold Caps?
Josie initially researched buying a wig as an option but quickly changed her mind.
“I was surprised at the costs of wigs – a custom wig can cost around $2,000 and upwards if you want a better quality one or longer length of hair. So, when I stumbled across Penguin Cold Caps, giving me the chance to save my own hair, I was thrilled.
“It turns out that the cost of cold capping was comparable with purchasing a custom wig, and I would much prefer to keep my own hair.”
Cold Capping with Penguin
How did you find using Penguin Cold Caps?
Josie doesn’t mince her words when she says, “Cold capping is a lot of work. I was lucky to have a dedicated husband willing to do all the cap changes for me, as sorting out the dry ice and keeping the caps cool would have been too much for me. The system has many steps, but it becomes easier once you get through the first day.”
In terms of how Jose found wearing the cold caps, she says, “It was definitely cold and a bit heavy, but not painful. After a few minutes, your scalp feels numb, and I found warm blankets and an electric heating pad helped a lot.
“The support I received from Penguin Cold Caps was great too! Any questions or concerns were quickly addressed. I felt the kit supplied gave me everything I needed for success.”
What were your results?
“I have saved approximately 60-65% of my hair and am happy with the results. There are some bald spots underneath and a few thinning spots on top of my hair, but it’s not noticeable.