A new team of specialist volunteers at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary will be helping stop cancer patients losing their hair as they undergo chemotherapy treatment.

The volunteers have been recruited as part of a new partnership between the Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust’s Volunteering Services, the CHFT Charity and Huddersfield-based Paxman Scalp Cooling.

The volunteers have had their induction and will be ready to start supporting patients at the hospital’s Greenlea Unit.

For many people, the prospect of losing their hair during cancer treatment can be one of the most emotional and visible reminders of their diagnosis.

Paxman’s world-renowned scalp cooling technology helps to reduce chemotherapy-induced hair loss, which also helps protect confidence, identity and emotional wellbeing for patients.

With the support of the hospital trust’s CHFT Charity more patients are able to access this life-changing technology.

The newly-trained Greenlea volunteers will offer reassurance and companionship to patients throughout their treatment by providing friendly conversation, a hot drink, activities to distract and relax, or simply being a reassuring presence.

As part of their specialist training, volunteers experienced scalp cooling themselves, gaining first-hand insight into the sensations patients experience.

After experiencing the cooling cap, volunteer Julie Andrassy said: “It felt strange, not what I was expecting at all.

“I am so glad I got to experience this, it’s provided me with a new level of understanding with how it ‘feels’ and how patients will feel, which helps me in knowing how much encouragement to give to distract them through the beginning phase.”

Here’s why scalp cooling technology means so much

In October 2019, Claire, a young mum of two small children, began treatment for Stage 3 breast cancer and during the following eight months of aggressive treatment, Claire was offered the opportunity to use one of the Paxman scalp coolers.

Claire said: “I used to have really long blonde hair but, after my diagnosis, I had my hair cut into a bob.

“At one stage I even suggested shaving it off as I knew what I was going to be faced with was total hair loss.

“However, I was offered the opportunity to try using the Paxman scalp cooler whilst receiving my treatment, and remarkably I barely lost any hair at all. Eight months, eight rounds of chemotherapy and I kept my blonde bob!”