Do I need to be accompanied or can I use the cap on my own? Can hospital staff assist me?

Yes, you can use the caps on your own. However, this is not the easiest route. We recommend that you be accompanied by a trustworthy person, preferably in good physical condition, as the cooler is heavy - around 22.5 to 34 kg (50 to 75 lb) of ice, plus the weight of the cold caps and cooler. Although the cooler is equipped with wheels, you still need to transport it outside and load it into your vehicle. The contents of the cooler must be handled each time the cold cap is changed. We therefore recommend that, if possible, you be assisted by someone energetic, as in reality, the capper's rest time is usually only 7 to 10 minutes between cold cap changes. Only a few hospitals in Quebec — such as Saint-Sacrement, LeGardeur, and Gatineau — offer some patients the option to use caps provided by the facility, with nursing staff support for their installation and replacement. However, the optimal protocol is not followed in these settings, which leads many patients to rent the equipment themselves to ensure the best conditions for success. This allows them to meet the recommended rotation frequency, maintain the manufacturer-advised temperature, and ensure the quality of the caps (expiration date). In the United States, professional "capping" services are available at an average rate of $500 per day, but this service is not offered in Quebec. The Foundation cannot take responsibility for managing "capping" teams, as it is not part of our primary mission. Additionally, hospital staff cannot assist with or take responsibility for independently rented caps. The best option is to seek help from your network. Please refer to the following question for more information: [https://gardetescheveux.org/en/faq-accompagnement/je-n-ai-pas-d-accompagnateur-est-ce-que-la-fondation-garde-tes-cheveux-peut-m-en-fournir-un/](I don’t have someone to accompany me — can the Garde tes cheveux Foundation provide someone?)