Chicago Bears visit with Advocate Health Care cancer patients

ELGIN, Ill. – Chicago Bears defensive lineman Daniel Hardy visited Tuesday with Advocate Health Care cancer patients and teammates at Advocate Sherman Hospital and delivered donations and gifts to patients to help them with their care and through their difficult treatment days.

During the visit, Dr. Rachel Baer and Dr. Courtney Coke took Hardy on a tour of the cancer center to meet with patients and teammates and demonstrate the cold cap. The cold cap helps to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy treatments. Each patient received a curated chemo care gift box from Bears Care and its charitable partner, Lemons of Love, along with other special gifts.

"Scalp cooling is important to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and helps significantly reduce hair loss," Dr. Baer said. "There is a powerful psychological benefit for patients when they can maintain their appearance, and it really promotes better acceptance of their treatment."

Most of the patients who have had the cold capping treatment have experienced little to no hair loss.

Bears Care also presented a $15,000 check to benefit the Advocate Sherman Hospital Cancer Center with funds designated to help underwrite the costs of cold capping for underserved patients and expand community outreach efforts in Elgin. The efforts will focus on educating women about breast health, screening recommendations and assisting them with scheduling mammography appointments.

Advocate Health Care and the Chicago Bears teamed up during the month of October again this year to support the Real Bears Fans Wear Pink campaign, sharing the message of the importance of screenings and early detection, honoring breast cancer patients and survivors and raising funds to support programs helping them along in their cancer journey.