A Game-Changer for Cancer Patients
/Penguin Cold Caps helps Cheryl Strawn retain 95% of her hair after undergoing chemotherapy due to a breast cancer diagnosis
By Katie Stone
When you think of the health of your hair, you probably think of deep conditioning or heat protection spray, but for Cheryl Strawn, it is a lot more than that. Cheryl was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 after her first mammogram. She underwent a double mastectomy but still required chemotherapy after surgery. Already struggling with the loss of her breasts, when Cheryl realized that she would also lose her hair, she began researching her options. “Losing my hair was so hard to imagine,” she recalled. That’s when she learned about cold cap therapy, an innovative treatment some chemo patients pursue in an effort to save their hair.
Cold caps are helmet-shaped devices that are filled with very cold liquid or gel. By inducing “scalp hypothermia,” the blood vessels beneath the skin of the scalp are narrowed, which reduces the amount of chemotherapy drugs that reaches the hair follicles. This prevents hair loss.
Cheryl signed up to be a part of a clinical trial involving cold cap therapy but was unfortunately denied participation, which was devastating. At this news, her husband, Shay, took charge, determined to find out how Cheryl could receive cold cap therapy outside of a clinical trial. Through his own research, he discovered Penguin Cold Caps, a company that rents the caps to chemotherapy patients.
Cold cap therapy is not just a matter of wearing the cap during treatment. Treatment requires three cold caps, all of which must first be at the correct temperature: -22 degrees Fahrenheit. Once they are ready, beginning before the first chemotherapy administration, the caps are rotated at specific intervals throughout the duration of the treatment and for five hours afterward. Between uses, each cap is placed in a cooler with dry ice strategically to ensure that it is the right temperature when it is time to use it again.
Cheryl is not only a Penguin Cold Cap therapy story; she is also a Penguin team member, having accepted a position with the company after using the cold cap system herself. She is one of only few representatives in the entire United States. She has found so much joy in working with other cancer survivors as they travel their road to recovery. “It is so much more than just helping them get their cold cap system and training them how to use it,” she said. “It is a true connection being made and understanding of their situation.” Cheryl does hands-on training for cancer survivors and their families if they need it. “There are many ways to train someone how to use this. There are videos and paperwork that comes with the system, but my husband and I also do hands-on training to show exactly how to do it,” she said. “My clients are keeping 60–90% of their hair.”
The Penguin Cold Cap system is not available for purchase. Instead, it is available to be rented, which allows for better access for cancer survivors. Getting a cancer diagnosis takes a toll on more than just the mind and body; it also affects the finances. Penguin Cold Caps offers payment assistance options for those who are eligible.
Cheryl, in her role as Penguin Cold Cap representative, was recently chosen as the beneficiary of a fundraiser to benefit local cancer survivors. The fundraiser, SINGO for a Cause, was held in October 2022 at Redbone Magic Brewery. Chambers Home Health & Hospice, the event host, raised about $5,000 to help cancer survivors access the Penguin Cold Cap system. Chambers Home Health representative Erin Blackburn was blown away by all the support. “It feels amazing to be able to donate this money to such a great cause,” she said.
When, after 12 rounds of chemotherapy with cold caps, she still had 95 percent of her hair, Cheryl knew she had found what she was meant to do. “I have been through so many things in my life, but after this experience, I knew that is why God got me through it all,” she said. “He saw me through it all so I could help others on their journey.”