Charity helps ease chemo patients' hair loss fears

A cancer patient has said a scalp cooler, paid for by an NHS charity's record £2m donation, had helped her emotionally during chemotherapy.

ELHT and Me, which raises money for East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, was given the money - the largest donation it had ever received - by The Kay Family Foundation in November.

The trust said the cash would be used for items including neonatal incubators, mobile x-ray machines and a scalp cooler, which is used to help reduce hair loss during chemotherapy.

Patient Lisa, 33, from Oswaldtwistle, said: "Slowing down the hair loss, from an emotional point of view, helped me get my head around it."

Lisa, who had chemotherapy last year at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, said: "As a young woman having breast cancer there are a lot of changes, and your hair feels like the first thing people see so it was something I was really keen to avoid losing.

"Opting to have the cold cap alongside my treatment was the one thing I could control; it was my choice, so when everything doesn't feel in your control this is one thing I can."

The Paxman Scalp Cooler limits the amount of chemotherapy that reaches hair follicles.

Cancer unit manager Jo Dixon said the new machine had made "a massive difference".

"When we tell patients it was donated they are really appreciative too," she said.

"Hair loss is a huge emotional side for patients, and that's not something a lot of people realise or understand."

The foundation said it was "proud to invest in the health and wellbeing of our local community".

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.