ANNA HELENE, 58 years old, independent coach. Married and mother of 3 grown children, lives in Hillerød. In 2023, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to undergo a chemotherapy course with 16 treatments (12 x Paclitaxel and 4 x EC).
When the doctors told her what type of chemotherapy she would be receiving, she was also informed that she would lose her hair. “I sat there with my long hair, which was really just supposed to get longer and longer. And then they said it was the kind of chemotherapy where you lose it all.” The news felt almost unreal. “It was like being put into a small dinghy in Tivoli. The doors open, and you just sail into the darkness. You can't control the direction - you can only go with the flow.” She knew she would say yes to the treatment. The alternative was not an option.
But the thought of hair loss was hard to accept.
WHAT DID IT MEAN TO YOU TO KEEP MOST OF YOUR HAIR AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY?
“It made a huge difference that I could go through chemo treatment and still look like myself.” For Anna Helene, it made a big difference not having to explain her illness to everyone around her. She could go shopping, meet people, and go about her daily life without being seen as “the sick one”.
It also had a significant impact on her work as a coach, where her clients are the focus. “It gave a sense of normalcy in the midst of something that was otherwise completely unreal.”
Only at the 13th treatment did her hair start to thin. “For others, it probably wasn't visible. It was mostly myself who could see it.”
WHAT DOES YOUR HAIR MEAN TO YOU?
For Anna Helene, her hair is part of her identity. “I went home and looked at myself in the mirror and thought: I would never voluntarily go to the hairdresser and ask to be shaved bald.” Even though she knew that the treatment was the most important thing, the thought of hair loss weighed heavily on her. “You lose so much control when you get a cancer diagnosis. So being able to do something yourself to keep your hair meant a lot.”
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH COOLING CAPS?
Anna Helene heard about cooling caps through a friend who works as an anaesthesia nurse. She began to research the possibilities and found Rapunzel. “I called and spoke to some incredibly kind people. You could tell they had been there themselves. It wasn't a sale - it was understanding.” During the treatments, her husband helped with the cooling caps. They always arrived well in advance of the chemotherapy treatment so that cooling could begin. “It's cold - let's just establish that.”
Sometimes she got what she calls a “brain freeze”. “I asked my husband to talk to me so I could shift my focus. What you choose to focus on makes a big difference.” Week after week, she went through the chemotherapy treatments - and kept her hair.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE GREATEST SUPPORT FOR YOU DURING YOUR JOURNEY - BOTH EMOTIONALLY AND PRACTICALLY?
The greatest support for Anna Helene was her husband. “He was with me all the way.”
He helped with the cooling caps during each treatment and ensured that everything practical worked. When the cold became difficult to handle, talking helped. “It shifts the focus. And that makes it much easier.”
In the middle of the process, Anna Helene also made a video for herself. “In the video, I say: I'll let the doctors take care of the illness. I'll take care of life.” For her, it was about holding on to what was still her life.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS FACING POTENTIAL HAIR LOSS?
Anna Helene noticed during her journey that many patients are not even aware of the possibility of cooling caps.
“I would wish that patients were told: There are wigs and scarves, and there's also this option. Give it a chance.” For her, exploring the options made a big difference. Not because hair was the most important thing. But because it helped her feel like herself throughout a long process.
4 PIECES OF ADVICE FROM ANNA HELENE
1. Get a helper
It makes a big difference to have someone who can help with the cooling caps during treatment.
2. Mentally decide to give it a try
“Visualize it. Believe that it can succeed.”
3. Ask for help when it's difficult
If the cold or the situation feels overwhelming, say it out loud.
4. Be mindful of your thoughts
“It matters what we feed our brains.”