At a glance:
- Diagnosis: HER2+, Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, DCIS and Pagets
- Drug regimen: Taxol with Herceptin
- Results: Saved 99% of hair
- Mollie says: “Keeping your hair is a bonus; saving your mental health is a lifesaver”
Mollie is a married mum of 46, with three children aged 15, 13, and 10. She works as a Human Resources Executive for a large global organization.
“I want to change the dialogue around cold capping to focus it on the importance of mental health during treatment.”
Mollie’s diagnosis and treatment
“My biggest fear was that I was going to die and leave my family at such a young age. I had no idea how bad the cancer was and whether it had spread. At the first meeting with my surgeon, she said, “You will not die; we will fight this.” I burst into tears, completely relieved.”
Mollie had a double mastectomy followed by twelve weekly rounds of Taxol and Herceptin every three weeks. The Herceptin continued for a full 12-months.
Mollie’s experience of cold capping
“My oncologist asked if I wanted to save my hair – and of course, I said yes.”
Mollie’s oncologist was a strong supporter of cold capping, as well as a friend to Mollie, who had previously been treated for breast cancer and saved her own hair with Penguin Cold Caps.
Mollie explains, “She is a champion of cold capping technology, and I’m so grateful for her for educating me about this treatment. Once the chemo had started, I realized how saving my hair was more about preserving my mental health than anything else.
“Because of the cold caps, I didn’t have to look in the mirror every day and be reminded that I was sick. I could work without people asking me how I was feeling. Most of all, my children didn’t think anything was wrong with their mom.
“I recently asked my kids, “If I didn’t have my hair, would it have been hard on you?” All three said absolutely.
“Cold capping saved my life in more ways than one. I strongly believe that it is important that chemo patients are told about this treatment and how much it can change their perspective and outlook while going through treatment.”
“I was posting on social media during my chemo and called it ‘Laughing Through Chemo’ because the cold capping look definitely made me laugh.”
Mollie’s cold capping tips
If you’re thinking about cold capping, Mollie’s advice is, “Don’t do it alone.” She says that it’s essential to have a support system in place, either a friend or family member or one of Penguin’s qualified cappers.
“Having someone there to help you through is so important.”
Mollie’s results
Mollie retained 99% of her hair and is now a wholehearted advocate of cold cap therapy.
“I want to change the dialogue around cold capping to focus on the importance of mental health during treatment. It can literally transform your outlook for the better. For me, keeping my hair was a bonus, but saving my mental health was a lifesaver.
“I can’t say enough about Penguin Cold Caps. I’m forever grateful and will continue to be a vocal advocate for cold capping.”