Community Leader

LOSING LOCKS, WITH LOVE

BY LIESEL SCHMIDT

“Oh, Jo, how could you? Your one beauty.” ― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

It’s a well-known line, a famous scene from the novel—and, of course, the movie—forever immortalizing the loss of tomboyish Jo’s lovely locks, beautiful hair that she sold out of love to support her family. For many women, how we feel about our hair is incredibly tied to our self-image, as though it’s our one source of beauty, something that gives us our femininity or even our individuality.

But what happens when we lose that?

That’s a reality for countless women undergoing chemo, women who, already dealing with so much, have to face the indignity of losing their hair. It’s an incredibly emotional loss, and one that can only be fully understood by others who have been through it. Recently, salon owner Rachel Eggie sacrificed her own hair in an act of solidarity and support of the many women who sit in her chair, battling cancer and the subsequent loss of hair or finally looking out from the other side, rejoicing in the return of their hair and celebrating their first haircut as true survivors.

But how she got there—to that place of shorn hair and shaved head—is a story in itself.

As the owner of EGGIE, hair is very much a part of Eggie’s life. And when a local oncologist at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center approached her with a story about one of his patients, she saw an opportunity to make a real difference with her work. Resulting from this was a partnership that has the potential to be life-changing for the women who sit in Eggie’s chair. “This partnership actually started with an experience that an oncologist had with one of his patients during her post-chemo visit,” Eggie explains. “Her hair was starting to grow back, and he asked if she was excited about going to get her first haircut. He said it was silent and extremely awkward. She had expressed how she wasn't really sure where to go or what to do with it. He told me he never wanted another patient to feel like that.”

As a leading cancer center in the area, Mary Bird Perkins saw the potential of a partnership with Gibbs and her team at EGGIE, donating patients’ first post-chemo haircuts. “We could help them find their new style, whether or not their texture has changed, and guide them on products to use and the ways to take care of their new hair,” Eggie says. “I also presented the idea to not only be a part of their journey as it grows back, but to be a part of it from the beginning. We have had several patients come in to get their heads shaved in the salon, and it’s not easy to do alone. I thought maybe once a month, we could invite them to EGGIE and shave their heads together. Sometimes it’s easier to go through something like that with others who are also going through it. This partnership will allow us to build a relationship with patients from the beginning and help them find resources for things like wigs and scalp care. Then, when it’s time to get their first haircut after treatment, they’re more than comfortable.”

“Together” is a word that Eggie takes seriously, one she realizes the weight of. So she decided to shave her own head, sacrificing her hair in honor of so many women who have lost theirs. “The idea of shaving my head was placed on my heart six months ago—before the partnership was ever even presented to me as a possibility,” she says. “I knew that God placed it on my heart for a reason, but I wasn’t sure why. For months, I thought about it and many times I thought, ‘My entire career is about hair, my entire platform is using my hair to help people with tips and tricks.’ I thought maybe it was crazy, but I still prayed about it. A few months later, I was approached by Mary Bird Perkins asking if my salon would be interested in a partnership. When that partnership formed, that was the moment I knew I was going to shave my head. I took it as a sign. If I were to shave my head, I could help these women even more. I could help them find wig resources, as I’d also be searching some for myself. And as their hair—and mine—grew out, I could guide them with different styles. If you follow me on social, I help people with tips and tricks. Right now, I feel like this path is pushing me to help people beyond the chair.”

HEALTH & WELLNESS

COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CARE CLINIC

Learning that you have been diagnosed with cancer is a difficult experience. It’s common to feel afraid, anxious or overwhelmed after your diagnosis. It is important for patients to focus on both their physical well-being and mental state of-mind when processing the news of a cancer diagnosis and navigating their plan of care. Knowing what to expect and how to make plans can help alleviate that worry and make a difficult experience a little easier. The Comprehensive Cancer Care Clinic at the Slidell Memorial Hospital Regional Cancer Center is here to do just that. For some patients, receiving the best cancer care may require them to travel far from home. It is common for patients to see several doctors, specialists and nurse navigators during their treatment journey. This can mean traveling to several different locations to receive the care they need, creating a roadblock for starting treatment as soon as possible. The new Comprehensive Cancer Care Clinic allows patients to see all key physicians and nurse navigators at one location. What used to take patients 4 to 6 weeks, making various appointments and visiting different locations, now can all be done in just one day. Not only do patients get the convenience of staying local, it also makes it easier for them to have a support system of family and friends nearby. In April 2021, Slidell taxpayers voted to approve a millage extension for SMH that included creating a comprehensive breast cancer treatment program. This includes the new clinic to help cancer patients receive quicker diagnoses and provide comprehensive care close to home. While construction is currently ongoing, our team at the SMH Regional Cancer Center, led by Dr. Matthew McElveen, Medical Director and Program Coordinator, has already started the program with more than 40 newly diagnosed patients. The current program, which is focused on breast cancer, brings together the entire team of treating physicians and care providers into one collaborative office space designed specifically for this comprehensive purpose. New cancer patients can expect to be seen by multiple physicians in one day and will typically leave the office with a complete treatment plan in place. Dr. McElveen notes that the length of time from diagnosis to treatment is critical in the success of cancer cure and that this new comprehensive approach can cut this time by more than 50%. When visiting the new Comprehensive Cancer Care Clinic, patients can expect to experience a peaceful, calming and comfortable environment throughout their whole treatment journey. A patient’s case will start the night before they arrive for their appointment. All the patient’s doctors gather to discuss the patient’s case and develop a preliminary idea of how to approach it. Each patient will leave the clinic with a targeted treatment plan prepared by their care team. This individualized care plan will help them navigate through their cancer diagnosis journey more smoothly and allow them to receive treatment and proceed to surgery much more quickly than before. Our goal is to improve the chance of breast cancer cure while alleviating our patients’ stress and worry, allowing them to focus on self-care and healing.

Matthew McElveen, MD

Hematology & Oncology 1120 Robert Blvd, Suite 390 (985) 646-2411