NEIGHBORS HELP SOLVE A CHILLING PROBLEM

Cold days in hell help chemo patients hang onto hair

By CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

Cancer is a thief — taker of lives, livelihoods, loved ones, body parts and, for many attempting to wrest themselves from its grip, hair. For some, especially women, hair loss can be one of the most unsettling aspects of chemotherapy, the reoccurring use of strong drugs to help kill cancer cells, an experience many describe as hellacious.

RASY RAN

Lizzie Cronin knows firsthand. She was that mom at whose home her children’s friends from Lake Highlands High School liked to gather. A few years ago when she discovered a lump in her breast and was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma, PHOTOS BY she feared the treatments — back-toback surgeries followed by six rounds of chemo every month — would rob her of the cherished role.

“You will be bald, and everyone will know you are sick,” she thought. She worried about the effect of her changing appearance on her kids, her husband, and, “well, myself when I looked in the mirror.”

The dread loomed large as she faced therapy, she says. In the end, though, only her closest family and friends learned of her illness.

“Today when I talk about having cancer, a lot of people ask, ‘When?’ and they are so surprised. They’ll say, ‘You never looked like you had cancer.’ ”

Cronin saved about 80 percent of her thick blonde locks via scalp cooling, which, through a ton of research, she and her husband Bill learned was a viable solution to chemotherapy-induced hair loss.

Findings To Good Use

The realization eventually led to the creation of Chemo Cold Caps, a nationally recognized company Lizzie and her friend Rhonda Svedeman now operate out of two neighborhood office suites. One is a typical administrative center with desks and computers and framed family photos; the other is a sterile storeroom showcasing metallic shelves accommodating an impeccably organized, and odd, array of objects: blue beanies, ice coolers, rolls of tape or bandages, thick gloves, pantyliners, spray bottles, stacks of folding hand carts and futuristic, shower-cap-shaped items.

The women have created new ways to deliver existing cold-cap technology, and every item in the room is essential to their trademarked system, Svedeman says.

Saving a head of hair can result in a patient feeling more optimistic, more themselves, which can be pivotal to healing, the women, and their three part-time staffers, believe.

As one local patient puts it, “Cancer, if you let it, can take over your life. I can’t express how freeing it is to be able to go out in the world and still have hair. Chemo baldness is a public announcement of your fight no one has to know

I am fighting cancer unless I want them to know. It is one less thing to worry about and gives me back some normalcy in my days.”

How It Works

Scientific studies, including one published in Oncologist journal in 2013, suggest scalp hypothermia might prevent alopecia by constricting blood vessels in the scalp, thus reducing the amount of chemo that reaches the cells of the hair follicles. The cold also decreases the activity of the hair follicles, researchers theorized, making them less attractive to chemo, which targets rapidly dividing cells.

Real-life results have been mixed. Clearly, the operators say, every patient should speak with his or her doctor before embarking on any supplementary medicinal treatment.

The Cronins’ personal experience, with follicle-freezing caps ordered from a company in England, indicated that cooling worked. But the complexity of the procedure probably resulted in letdowns for a large number of users.

“This is not an easy task,” Lizzie explains. “The caps go on your head at minus-23 degrees Fahrenheit and need to be changed every 20 minutes for almost seven hours. Along with the caps, we had to purchase two coolers and 100 pounds of dry ice for every round of chemo to keep the caps cold.”

And that was just the start — there were extensive supplies required — the aforementioned sanitary pads are taped to ears to prevent frostbite, for example and rules for handling dry ice that made cold capping a prohibitively complex ordeal for some cancer patients.

“There are so many parts and requirements to make it work, and if you don’t begin the regimen at the start of chemotherapy, then the horse is out of the barn,” Lizzie says. “It won’t work.”

This system is not a standard service at cancer care centers, so all labor is entirely left to the patient and loved ones.

Lizzie says that after her tress success, her husband committed to start a company that would not only increase awareness of the scalp-cooling route, but also create a more user-friendly system.

Status quo methods were so arduous, and, at about $500 a month, costly for something not guaranteed to work. For those willing to give cooling caps a shot, the Cronins’ wanted to provide the best possible chance at success.

“Our goal was to make sure that [they] knew that going bald was not the only option,” Lizzie says.

The first thing they needed was something that would more efficiently hold the caps in place, so Bill sought the help Svedeman, a family friend, neighbor and talented seamstress who helped create a strap to secure the cold cap.

“They sat at the kitchen table cutting and sewing for about two hours coming up with the right design,” Lizzie recalls.

Then there was the problem of having to keep the caps at the right temperature longer. For that, Rhonda came up with an insulating cap. It looks like a shower cap, but thick and silver, and it fits over the whole cooling ensemble.

When a patient orders from Chemo Cold Caps today, she receives all she needs to most effectively cool the scalp during treatment: An ice chest containing six DigniCaps — the only brand approved by the FDA — a clipboard containing specific instructions based on the patient’s individual chemo regimen, a supply bag containing the sundry items used in preparation. The only thing the recipient needs to add is dry ice, and she receives specific instructions on how to do so.

Chemo Cold Cap clients also are paired with a personal consultant or “capper,” one of three trained specialists who supports her throughout the process. A capper joins local clients for the first treatment and demonstrates the process. For out of towners, there is extensive communication, videos and other forms of support.

The cap, especially with straps and insulation added, is snug and uncomfortable even while room temperature at -23 degrees it seems unbearable for the first few moments, some report, and the process is tedious. The cost is $500 a month. But many testify that it is so worthwhile.

“It was a learning experience at first, and then you got into a groove. My daughter, daughter-in-law and neighbor caught on quickly doing two rounds each. It is true that the caps are very cold but not something you can’t do,” notes a patient named Ann from California. “I feel healthy with a positive attitude when I look in the mirror every day. This helps with my overall recovery.”

Some patients learn about cold caps from their oncologists, while other doctors and nurses do not know about or recommend the procedure.

Cronin and Svedeman hope that soon the caps and their trademarked system, and other cooling components that they hope to patent soon, will be a regular element of chemotherapy treatments.

Something that even will be covered by health insurance.

An option that won’t require cancer patients to cart an ice chest on a handheld dolly to chemotherapy treatments.

“We hope all this (looks around the storeroom) will be considered rudimentary someday.” Svedeman says with a smile, “That it will be in a museum.”

Chemocoldcaps.com, 800.290.7196.

Dallas Academy

950 Tiffany Way, Dallas 75218 / 214.324.1481 / dallas-academy.com

Founded in 1965, Dallas Academy’s mission is to restore the promise of full academic enrichment to students with learning differences in grades 1-12. A meaningful connection with each student is established to overcome barriers to success. Dallas Academy offers students an effective program and strategies to meet the special educational needs of bright students with learning differences, while including the activities of a larger, more traditional school. Classes are small, with a student-teacher ratio of 6 to 1 where students are encouraged, praised, and guided toward achieving their goals. Diagnostic testing is available to students throughout the community.

Highlander School

9120 Plano Rd. Dallas / 214.348.3220 / www.highlanderschool.com Founded in 1966, Highlander offers an enriched curriculum in a positive, Christian-based environment. By limiting class size, teachers are able to build a strong educational foundation to ensure confidence in academics, athletics, and the creative and performing arts. Highlander offers a “classic” education which cannot be equaled. Monthly tours offered; call for a reservation.

Holy Trinity Catholic School

3815 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas 214-526-5113, htcsdallas.org For more than 100 years, Holy Trinity Catholic School, has been committed to the religious, intellectual, emotional, social and physical growth of each student. This commitment is carried out in a nurturing atmosphere with an emphasis on social awareness, service to others, and religious faith in the Catholic tradition. The Immaculate Heart Program at Holy Trinity School was initiated to fully realize our school’s mission of developing the whole child by meeting the needs of one of the most underserved and underperforming groups in catholic schools, children with dyslexia.

Lakehill Preparatory School

Leading to Success. 2720 Hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931 / lakehillprep.org Kindergarten through Grade 12 - Lakehill Preparatory School takes the word preparatory in its name very seriously. Throughout a student’s academic career, Lakehill builds an educational program that achieves its goal of enabling graduates to attend the finest, most rigorous universities of choice. Lakehill combines a robust, college-preparatory curriculum with opportunities for personal growth, individual enrichment, and community involvement. From kindergarten through high school, every Lakehill student is encouraged to strive, challenged to succeed, and inspired to excel.

Spanish House

Four East Dallas Locations / 214.826.4410/ DallasSpanishHouse.com Spanish Immersion Program in East Dallas! Nursery, Preschool, Elementary and Adult Programs available. Our new dual-language elementary campus is now open at 7159 E. Grand Ave. Please visit our website at DallasSpanishHouse. com for more information.

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

848 Harter Rd., Dallas 75218 / 214.328.9131 / stjohnsschool.org

Founded in 1953, St. John’s is an independent, co-educational day school for Pre-K through Grade 8. With a tradition for academic excellence, St. John’s programs include a challenging curriculum in a Christian environment along with instruction in the visual and performing arts, Spanish, German, French, and opportunities for athletics and community service.St. John’s goal for its students is to develop a love for learning, service to others, and leadership grounded in love, humility, and wisdom. Accredited by ISAS, SAES, and the Texas Education Agency.

Ut Dallas Chess Camp

800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson 75080 / (972) 883-4899 / utdallas.edu/chess ) 2016

Summer Chess Camp Campers learn while they PLAY. Chess develops reading, math, critical and analytical skills, and builds character and self-esteem. Just don’t tell the kids…they think chess is fun! Join beginner, intermediate or advanced chess classes for ages 7 to 14 on the UT Dallas campus. Morning (9am-noon) or afternoon (1-4pm) sessions are available June 13-17, June 20-24, July 18-22, July 25-29 and extended playing classes. Camp includes t-shirt, chess board and pieces, trophy, certificate, score book, group photo, snacks and drinks. Instructors are from among UT Dallas Chess Team Pan-Am Intercollegiate Champions for 2010-2012!

White Rock North School

9727 White Rock Trail Dallas/ 214.348.7410 / WhiteRockNorthSchool.com

6 Weeks through 6th Grade. Our accelerated curriculum provides opportunity for intellectual and physical development in a loving and nurturing environment. Character-building and civic responsibility are stressed. Facilities include indoor swimming pool, skating rink, updated playground, and state-of-the-art technology lab. Kids Club on the Corner provides meaningful after-school experiences. Summer Camp offers field trips, swimming, and a balance of indoor and outdoor activities designed around fun-filled themes. Accredited by SACS. Call for a tour of the campus.

Zion Lutheran School

6121 E. Lovers Ln. Dallas / 214.363.1630 / ziondallas. org Toddler care thru 8th Grade. Serving Dallas for over 65 years offering a quality education in a Christ-centered learning environment. Degreed educators minister to the academic, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of students and their families. Before and after school programs, Extended Care, Parents Day Out, athletics, fine arts, integrated technology, Spanish, outdoor education, Accelerated Reader, advanced math placement, and student government. Accredited by National Lutheran School & Texas District Accreditation Commissions and TANS. Contact Principal Jeff Thorman.

By GEORGE MASON