My name is Leah Eidson, and in 2019 I was diagnosed with breast cancer after what I thought would be a routine mammogram. Like so many others, I never imagined I’d hear those words. Suddenly, my life was divided into “before” and “after.”

I was treated at Bon Secours Saint Francis in Midlothian, Virginia, where I became their very first patient to use the Paxman Scalp Cooling system. I learned about scalp cooling through a friend who encouraged me to Google “cold caps.” My husband and I started researching, and at first what we found involved dry ice and complicated logistics. Then my surgeon mentioned that my treatment center was in the process of installing a system. Two weeks later, I walked in as their very first patient to use it.

Facing Treatment with Anxiety and Hope

Like anyone about to begin chemotherapy, I was anxious. I practiced with the cooling cap at home, with my husband and sister helping me fit it properly. Still, the unknowns of chemotherapy loomed large. My worry was about whether I could tolerate the chemo, how my body would react, and what the journey ahead would bring.

On that first day, I discovered that the hardest part of scalp cooling was the first 15 minutes. It was colder than I expected, but with my sister talking my ear off nonstop, I got through it. After that, the cold became manageable. I knew what I was working toward, and that gave me strength.

The Results That Changed Everything

Throughout treatment I lost about 45–50% of my hair, but the loss was spread pretty evenly. I didn’t experience bald spots or crown balding. To the outside world, I still looked like me. Strangers at the grocery store had no idea what I was going through. Even colleagues who knew I was in treatment said, “I thought you were going through chemotherapy? How come you still have your hair?”

That privacy was priceless. It meant I didn’t have to explain myself to anyone unless I wanted to. It meant my four sons could still see their mom looking like herself. It meant that when I looked in the mirror, I still recognized the person staring back. Holding on to that part of my identity gave me strength to face the days when I didn’t feel 100%.

A New Chapter with Paxman

After treatment ended, I returned to my old job, only to lose it when the company was sold during COVID. At first, I was devastated, but I couldn’t shake the thought of Paxman. My mom always told me, “Everything happens for a reason,” and I kept wondering if maybe this was mine.

With no recent résumé, I reached out directly to Paxman. The young lady who answered the phone in their US office said to me, “I think you should contact Rich Paxman… he loves to hear from patients”. So, I emailed him directly and to my surprise, he replied quickly and warmly, which I was so grateful for. That led to conversations with the U.S. team and eventually, to me joining as an Account Manager.

Today, I support clinics and patients across the East Coast as a Clinical Product Specialist - training nurses, answering questions, and often FaceTiming with patients who just want to talk to someone who’s been through it.

It feels like life has come full circle. The very company that helped me through the darkest days is now the one I represent, helping others through theirs.

Why I Encourage Others to Try

When people ask me for advice, my answer is always the same: try it. I knew that my alternative was losing all of my hair after the first treatment. So, to me, anything I could keep was a win. Instead of focusing on the hair that fell out, I celebrated the hair that remained.

And when regrowth began, it was faster than I imagined. Within weeks I could see little curls and stubbles of regrowth coming in, especially around my temples. Those tiny curls made me smile every time I walked past a mirror. They were proof that I was healing, that my body was recovering.

Grateful Beyond Words

Scalp cooling didn’t erase the challenges of cancer, but it gave me something deeply important. It gave me a way to hold on to myself. It helped me maintain my confidence, my privacy, and my sense of identity. And now, in my work with Paxman, I see daily how much it means to others, too.

Cancer takes so much away. For me, scalp cooling gave something back. And that made all the difference.