Laura ▶ IL

Laura | Illinois
Age: 40
Diagnosis: Stage 2 Breast Cancer
Chemotherapy Regimen: Taxotere and Cytoxan
Total Treatments: 4 
Infusion Center: Northwestern Orland Park Cancer Center 

Tell us about yourself.
I am a single parent of 19-year-old twin boys as well as a special education teacher. Shortly after having my 40 and fabulous themed birthday party, I was devastated to learn I had breast cancer through a routine mammogram. My mother passed away from breast cancer, so I wanted to take as radical measures as possible. I was large chested so making the decision to have a double mastectomy was very difficult because my boobs had become such a large part of my image. However, I grew to accept my new body.

How did you find out about DigniCap?
As soon as I was diagnosed with cancer, I reached out to a friend who had used scalp cooling during chemo and started asking questions. The treatment center where I was to receive chemo offered DigniCap and had just recently been trained on how to use the system and apply the cap. I loved that I wouldn’t have to bring a heavy cooler with me and manage it all myself like I would if I had used another scalp cooling systems.

“Using DigniCap helped me to maintain some sense of normalcy throughout my journey. I was able to go on with my life and no one knew about my cancer diagnosis unless I shared it with them.”

Did you have a successful experience using DigniCap?
My hair started shedding approximately 20 days after my first chemo treatment. From that point on, I would not wash my hair, but I would put my vegan shampoo and conditioner in a shaker cup and rinse and comb my hair with the products while in the shower to avoid matting. Then I would allow my hair to air dry. I only “rinsed” my hair once a week until it stopped shedding. I also did not apply heating tools until 3 months after chemo was completed. I used hair powder and foundation to cover any thinning spots that were visible immediately after chemo. I would estimate I lost about 40% of my hair, however, 3 months after my last chemo, my hair looks healthy, I can style it, and I feel confident to go out and enjoy life, and that’s priceless!

Why was trying to keep your hair during chemotherapy important to you?
After my surgery I was told I was going to need four rounds of chemo as a precautionary measure due to my age and also have two lymph nodes involved. I went home and cried the entire night. It was so important to me to not look like a cancer patient. I wanted to go to stores, the gym, and work, and not have the sympathy looks. Using DigniCap helped me to maintain some sense of normalcy throughout my journey. I was able to go on with my life and no one knew about my cancer diagnosis unless I shared it with them.

How did keeping your hair affect you, and those around you?
It was very important to me to maintain a sense of normalcy during my treatment. I did my make-up almost every day, went to the gym, attended concerts, and enjoyed everyday life. The thought of losing my hair, and having everyone know I was a cancer patient literally brought me to tears. Thanks to DigniCap, aside from the people I told, I did not have to endure stares at the grocery store or lose a sense of my identity. My family, friends, and co-workers were all surprised I looked so good because they too, were expecting me to look like the “typical cancer patient”.

What advice would you give to someone who is going through a similar experience, or who has recently been diagnosed and is considering scalp cooling?
I would highly recommend DigniCap to other people who are newly diagnosed with cancer. After talking more in depth with your medical team, one can determine how effective DigniCap will be with your specific type of chemo regimen and number of treatments. I definitely consider myself a success story!  People who find out I had chemo are always shocked, and ask why I didn’t lose my hair. I always smile from ear to ear and tell them about DigniCap.