Aurora breast cancer survivor ‘rings the bell’ to mark end of chemo at Chicago Bears game

Over 60,000 football fans cheered on Aurora resident Patti Hasemann, 60, as she marked the end of chemotherapy for her breast cancer by "ringing the bell" during halftime of the Oct. 4 Chicago Bears home game at Soldier Field.

Hasemann's milestone celebration was part of the Chicago Bears' annual Real Bears Fans Wear Pink campaign, presented by Advocate Health Care. She and nine other breast cancer survivors joined Advocate Health Care cancer specialists, family members and other supporters who unfurled a giant pink ribbon and kicked off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a powerful reminder about the lifesaving benefits of breast screenings and early detection.

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"Ringing the bell in front of thousands of Bears fans was an unforgettable way to celebrate the end of chemo," Hasemann said. "More importantly, I hope the moment reminded people to schedule their screenings. A routine mammogram found my cancer and helped me get the treatment I needed early."

Hasemann completed chemotherapy on Aug. 6 and underwent breast cancer surgery on Sept. 3. She is the first patient to complete cold capping at the Bhorade Cancer Center at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. Also called scalp cooling, the treatment chills the scalp before, during and after each chemotherapy infusion to reduce blood flow to the hair follicles and limit their exposure to chemotherapy drugs. Hasemann retained most of her hair.

The idea came from Hasemann's three daughters. Hasemann works as a cardiac ultrasound coordinator in Aurora, and her daughters are a pharmacist, a neonatal intensive care nurse and an emergency department nurse. Despite their combined health care experience, none had expertise in cancer care.

"Cancer was new to all of us, so my daughters started researching everything they could," Hasemann said. "They found cold capping, encouraged me to try it and even offered to pay for it. Keeping most of my hair helped me look in the mirror and still recognize myself during treatment."

Cold capping requires patients to wear a cooling cap before chemotherapy and for several hours after an infusion. Results vary depending on the chemotherapy regimen and other individual factors, and scalp cooling is not appropriate for every patient.

"Cold capping asks a lot of patients. It can add hours to already long treatment days and requires perseverance," said Dr. Suchin Khanna, Hasemann's medical oncologist at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital. "For some patients, though, preserving their hair can help them maintain a sense of identity, privacy and emotional well-being at a time when so much else feels outside their control."

During the halftime recognition, Hasemann and the other breast cancer survivors were joined by additional Advocate patients representing childhood, lung, cervical, prostate, colon and general cancer as part of the NFL's Crucial Catch initiative encouraging fans to complete recommended cancer screenings.

"Patti's story demonstrates the power of routine screening, persistence and informed decision-making," Khanna said. "If her moment at Soldier Field motivated even one fan to schedule a mammogram or talk with a physician about recommended cancer screenings, her celebration will have an impact far beyond the football field."

Women should talk with their physician about when to begin mammograms and how often to be screened based on their age, family history and individual risk factors.