Retaining her hair helped Maureen Inexperienced really feel like herself throughout remedy, as scalp cooling turned a significant a part of her care.
Maureen Inexperienced was 34 in 2018 when she discovered a lump in her breast. As a brand new mother, she assumed it was associated to breastfeeding and didn’t fear at first. Her husband inspired her to get it checked, and after a mammogram and ultrasound, she acquired the surprising and scary information that it was breast most cancers. With no household historical past and feeling far too younger, the analysis got here as a shock — marking the start of her most cancers journey.
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How was scalp cooling launched to you, and what function did that play over the course of your remedy?
I heard about scalp cooling initially from one of many nurses at Memorial Sloan Kettering. It was throughout that first assembly with my oncologist, the place she informed me the remedy plan and the whole lot that will occur. She let me know that I might lose all of my hair after the primary chemo infusion, and that was a really tough second. Clearly, all of it’s overwhelming and scary, however the considered additionally wanting actually sick and never with the ability to management who knew what was occurring with me simply felt just like the nail within the coffin. It was one ultimate blow to all of this — like I wouldn’t even have the ability to take my daughter to the playground and really feel like a standard individual. Everybody would know I used to be sick.
At that assembly, the nurses introduced up scalp cooling as an choice. I didn’t really feel like they pushed it very exhausting, as a result of it’s a large monetary burden. On the time, it was not lined by insurance coverage, so I believe they didn’t need to encourage one thing {that a} affected person won’t have the ability to afford. We needed to weigh the monetary prices, and after I used to be recognized, we additionally went via fertility therapies to guard the flexibility to develop our household down the road, which additionally wasn’t lined by insurance coverage. There are only a lot of prices that include most cancers remedy.
We had an enormous choice to make, and we determined to offer it a attempt. I used to be very fortunate that it labored. It provides plenty of time to your remedy — it’s important to put on it earlier than, throughout and afterward — so it means extra time sitting within the suite, and it’s fairly uncomfortable. However I might say it was price it to me.
Transcript has been edited for readability and conciseness.
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