Helping Others Heal

The same enthusiasm, passion and drive that David and Dawn live by is mirrored in their philanthropy. The Lenhardts knew they wanted to do more after Dawn's cancer experience. They credit their parents for instilling the value of doing more for others and giving back, and they wanted to teach Cole that same value.

Interested in making a difference in cancer research and patient care, the Lenhardts set up a fund to address the greatest needs for the Mayo Clinic breast cancer program and are recognized as Distinguished Benefactors. They are also members of Mayo Clinic's Leadership Council in Arizona.

After discussions with Dawn's physicians, David and Dawn learned about a system of cooling caps that help patients keep some of their hair during chemotherapy treatment.

The cap's effectiveness is based on the theory that when the scalp is cooled to 37 degrees Fahrenheit during chemotherapy, the blood vessels constrict and reduce blood flow in that area, so less of the chemotherapy drug reaches the hair cells. Loss of hair due to chemotherapy and the stigma attached to baldness is described by women as one of the most challenging aspects of chemotherapy.

Moreover, some patients refuse chemotherapy or request nonstandard chemotherapy because of the expected hair loss. Thanks to the Lenhardts' generosity, Mayo Clinic's Arizona campus has three scalp cooling machines. As Dawn experienced, hair can provide a sense of normalcy in a time when life is anything but normal.

"For me, people knowing I was sick made it worse," Dawn says. "Being able to control this one aspect really was a key part of my healing."