Paxman donates scalp cooling system to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary to raise awareness of breast cancer

For UK-based Paxman – pioneers in scalp cooling – October is a poignant month. Not only is it Breast Cancer Awareness Month but it also marks fifteen years since the loss of Sue Paxman; the inspiration behind the scalp cooler.

In 1992 Sue was diagnosed with breast cancer and faced a battle with the illness for 8 years.

During her fight with cancer, Sue lost her hair, an incredibly traumatic experience for her and the whole family. During this time her husband Glenn was determined to find a way to help her retain their hair and through the family business, he and his brother Neil developed the first Paxman scalp cooler.

She sadly passed away in 2000 but her legacy lives on through the development of the Paxman Scalp Cooling System, which today is the world’s leading hair loss prevention system for chemotherapy patients, used by over 100,000 patients in 32 countries.

This month to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness Month and further raise awareness of Breast Cancer, the Paxman family have donated one of their latest cooling systems in Sue’s honour to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI), the hospital where she was originally treated.

The Greenlea Unit at the hospital has recently been expanded as part of a £2.2m ward improvement scheme, to help even more patients retain their hair whilst undergoing chemotherapy. It now includes eight oncology clinic rooms, enabling the treatment of 150 patients every week along with all oncology outpatient appointments.

Sue’s daughter Claire, Sales and Training Manager of Paxman, said:

On the 30th October it will be 15 years since we lost our mum so it is an especially poignant time for us. We are honoured to donate the system to the place where it all began. It is very special for us as a family.

Scalp cooling provides the only real alternative to hair loss resulting in a high level of retention or complete hair preservation, improving patients’ self-confidence and creating positive attitudes towards treatment. The scalp cooling method works by lowering scalp temperature before, during and after the administration of chemotherapy.

Paxman is working globally with clinicians and patients to achieve ‘zero hair loss’ and are doing everything possible to understand alopecia and improve scalp cooling for the hundreds of people who use it every day.

Claire added:

When mum lost her hair we all shared her distress. At the age of 14 I cut off all of her beautiful curly hair which was heart-breaking. We don’t want others to have to go through this and are committed to ensuring that everyone undergoing chemotherapy treatment keeps their hair and will not stop until we achieve zero hair loss.

Paxman is pioneering scalp cooling technology throughout the world. Having carried out extensive trials and product development, the team have created a system that is clinically proven, cost-effective and widely embraced by doctors, nurses and patients alike.

Used all over the world, the Paxman scalp cooling system is made from lightweight, silicone tubing. The scalp cooling cap is soft and flexible - providing a snug yet comfortable cap during treatment. Moulding to all head shapes and sizes, liquid coolant passes through the cap extracting heat from the patient's scalp, ensuring the scalp remains at an even, constant temperature to minimise hair loss.