'Chemotherapy with No Hair Loss' Won

The project, which was submitted to the Marshal's Civil Budget by Dr Barbara Radecka and other doctors from the Opole Cancer Centre (OCC), won the votes of 3284 inhabitants of Opole. Thanks to those votes, it will be possible to buy a special system for cooling the scalp, which can save the hair of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

We are very happy because the University of Opole: the Office of Communications and Public Relations and University Spokesman with the help of students strongly supported this project. The University carried out the action called: "Vote for Hair", helping collect surveys, promoting the idea, and organising a picnic on the University campus, which hosted doctors, therapists, as well as cancer patients, including Izabela Sokołowska, who had lost hair as a result of chemotherapy, and who, for the needs of the campaign, decided to take off the wig and encourage people to vote for this project.

- And we did it! In a few weeks’ time we are going to proceed with the implementation of the winning projects, - says Violetta Ruszczewska, spokeswoman for the Marshal's Office.

The originator and a good spirit of the whole enterprise, Dr Barbara Radecka from Opole Cancer Centre is really happy. I’m so glad that we did it, - she says, - I’m very grateful to the University for all the help in publicizing our project. I am very proud that so many people have decided to vote for our project. Today I have met Mrs Izabela Sokołowska, who hearing the news of our success burst in tears with joy, - adds Dr Radecka.

What we fought for

Hair is a very important attribute of femininity, which is why we have decided to fight for a device which could improve the quality of women’s lives – explained Dr Barbara Radecka. – Quite often there come patients who for fear of hair loss do not take chemotherapy, risking their own lives and health, - said Doctor Radecka. - The apparatus which we are trying to acquire is to be primarily intended for them, but not only, it can be used at least for six patients a day, and thus, even for a few hundred patients a year.

How does it work?

The scalp cooling system is to protect the patient against hair loss using a fairly simple mechanism. The apparatus consists of a soft cap connected to the cooling unit, from which the coolant is delivered to the net of cap tubules. Caps are equipped with temperature sensors, and the whole process of cooling is a computer-monitored (first, it must be carefully programmed).

- A fairly large reduction in skin temperature causes lower blood supply to the hair follicles and consequently the dose of drug reaching the follicles is lower. The hair follicles are less damaged and hair loss can be much lower or not occur at all, - explains Dr Barbara Radecka of OCC, who is behind the whole project. The apparatus costs about 150 thousand zlotys.