The Rapunzel Project is an organization which raises money to help fund and purchase freezers for cold-cap therapy, a therapy which can reduce and sometimes prevent, chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
Cold-caps are special caps placed on the head at a temperature of -22 degrees Fahrenheit for several hours before, during and after each chemotherapy session. The goal of the cold-caps is preserve hair during chemotherapy treatments. Studies have shown that the freezing temperature of the cold-caps slows down the metabolic rate at which hair cells absorb nutrients or other items in the blood, such as chemotherapy drugs. This constriction of the blood vessels results in minimal absorption of chemotherapy within the hair follicles. Most hair can withstand this attack, resulting in limited hair loss.
Cold cap therapy was recently approved by the FDA in December of 2015, therefore many physicians are still in the process of learning about the safety and effectiveness of the therapy. Many infusion centers are still unequipped with the proper equipment for cold cap therapy treatment. If cold cap therapy is not accesible for a patient, with doctor approval, the patient can rent cold caps and use them with dry ice. However, that process is slightly harder to manage. With the help of donations from The Rapunzel Project, hospitals are provided with special biomedical freezers capable of reaching the temperatures needed to manage and make cold-cap therapy easily accessible for patients. So far, cold-cap therapy is accessible in 31 different states across the United States, including one location in Ohio.
As stated by The Rapunzel Project, "[w]hat was once a fantasy – that patients could keep their hair during chemotherapy – is now a reality. This was the inspiration for the creation and naming of The Rapunzel Project."
Hair loss during chemotherapy can be an emotional roller-coaster for patients, as it can affect self-esteem. With cold-cap therapy, patients have a more positive and confident outlook on the situation at hand.
For the past month or so at my work, we have been planning a fundraiser for The Rapunzel Project, an organization which hits close to home for everyone in our salon. This past weekend, we raised a little over $1,000 for The Rapunzel Project through our Sunday fundraiser and raffle tickets sales. Raffle tickets for wonderful prize baskets, with some baskets including front-row Indians tickets, Rayban sunglasses and a years worth of free Hairworks (a haircut with a shampoo, blow-dry and style), can still be purchased through July 30th.
(Two of my co-workers and me during the Today's Headlines Salon fundraiser for The Rapunzel Project)
