New specialist volunteers in our Greenlea Unit at HRI will be supporting patients as they undergo scalp cooling procedures to help them keep their hair during cancer treatments. The roles have been created thanks to a partnership between our Cancer Services, CHFT Charity, Volunteering Services and Huddersfield-based company, Paxman. Our new volunteers had their induction last week, ready to begin helping our cancer patients.

For many people, the prospect of losing their hair during cancer treatment can be one of the most emotional and visible reminders of their diagnosis. Paxman's scalp cooling technology helps to reduce chemotherapy-induced hair loss, which also helps protect confidence, identity and emotional wellbeing for our patients. Thanks to the continued support of our Charity, more patients are able to access this life-changing technology.

One of our patients, Claire, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer at 32, and was able to use the technology to keep her hair. She said: "Cancer can set you apart from your friends, your family and your colleagues at work – I didn't want that. Keeping my hair was so vitally important for my mental health and wellbeing during treatment."

Our newly trained Greenlea Volunteers will offer reassurance and companionship to patients throughout their treatment by providing friendly conversation, a hot drink, activities to distract and relax, or simply sitting alongside them during the most uncomfortable first few minutes of scalp cooling.

As part of their specialist training, volunteers experienced scalp cooling themselves, gaining first-hand insight into the sensations patients experience. This unique training will help them provide informed, empathetic support when it matters most. After experiencing the cooling cap, Volunteer, Julie Andrassy said: "It felt strange, not what I was expecting at all. I am so glad I got to experience this, it's provided me with a new level of understanding with how it 'feels' and how patients will feel, which helps me in knowing how much encouragement to give to distract them through the beginning phase."

If you see our volunteers in their bright yellow uniforms on the Greenlea Unit, please take a moment to say hello and give them a warm #TeamCHFT welcome.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped bring this vision to life, including Stuart Rowling and Jack Forster-Darwin from Paxman, Sarah Zeimer and Chris Lord-Tyrer from Cancer Services, Emma Kovaleski, Head of Charity and Volunteering Services, and Stevie Cheesman, Volunteer Services Lead.

You can read more about Claire's inspiring story on the CHFT Charity website: Cancer Services - CHFT Charity