By Holly Phillip

Patients receiving chemotherapy in Lincolnshire can now have additional treatment to help reduce their hair loss.

Many cancer patients at Lincoln, Boston and Grantham hospitals are being offered scalp-cooling treatment, as a result of a United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity appeal.

Sharon Wilkinson, who is currently undergoing the process, said: “Keeping your hair is not for vanity, it’s for dignity, and to give you the focus and strength to fight cancer.”

Ms Wilkinson was among the first patients to try out the new machines during her chemotherapy sessions.

“Being able to walk down the street and feel confident and not feel like everyone is looking at you is so important and empowering at this time,” she said.

“The whole team are amazing. I am so proud that we have these machines and know that they are going to help so many patients like me.”

The catering manager for a local secondary school explained that making the decision to receive cold cap treatment was one of the few things cancer patients can control.

Ms Wilkinson said it had helped to significantly reduce her hair loss during chemotherapy.

A cold cap looks like a bike helmet and is designed to cool the scalp during a chemotherapy session.

It reduces blood flow to the scalp, lowering the amount of medicine that reaches it.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity launched a campaign called Challenge 75 and hosted events to raise money for the machines as part of the 75th anniversary of the NHS in 2023.

The donations allowed it to buy three machines that can treat two patients at the same time.

The charity’s Bev Judge said: “Thanks to everyone’s generosity we were able to spend around £60,000 on these brilliant new systems.

“It is so moving when you hear about the difference they are already making for our wonderful patients like Sharon.”

The machines are in Ingham suite at Lincoln County Hospital, the chemotherapy suite at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston and the emerald suite at Grantham and District Hospital.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell them about a story you think we should be covering here, external.