Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Dilligan.
Kate, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey with Cooler Heads started from my own experience as a breast cancer patient. When I was going through treatment, I chose to cold cap and invested over $8,000 because I wanted to do everything I could to preserve my hair. While I was grateful that I was able to keep my hair, I walked away from the experience thinking, there has to be a better way.
I saw firsthand the challenges patients faced and the complexity providers experienced in delivering scalp cooling. With my background in business and technology, I knew there was an opportunity to create a better solution, one that made scalp cooling a true win for both patients and oncology teams.
That vision led to the creation of Cooler Heads and Amma, our FDA-cleared scalp cooling system. Today, Amma is available at all Sharp HealthCare infusion centers in San Diego and at cancer centers across the country, from California to Maine.
At the heart of everything we do is the belief that patients deserve more support and more options during their cancer journey, and we’re proud to continue building a better experience for them.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but every challenge has shaped the company we are building today. As a first-time female founder entering an industry where I had never worked before, there was a steep learning curve. I had to build credibility, learn the healthcare landscape, and prove that there was a better way to support patients and providers.
Early on, many investors were skeptical of the vision, and raising capital was one of the biggest challenges. As a female founder, I was navigating a funding landscape where women founders receive less than 4% of venture capital funding, which meant we were often building with fewer resources and had to be extremely strategic.
Despite those challenges, staying close to the mission, improving the patient experience and creating a solution that truly helps people, kept us moving forward. The support from patients, providers, and our partners has been incredibly validating and continues to fuel our growth.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Cooler Heads was founded in 2018 by Kate Dilligan, a tech entrepreneur and breast cancer survivor, to protect the dignity, privacy, and identity of cancer patients. After Kate was diagnosed with breast cancer, she spent $8,000 on traditional cold cap therapy. After talking with countless cancer patients frustrated by the high cost, poor fit, and difficulty with existing methods, Kate was determined to engineer a better way.
Amma by Cooler Heads is the only FDA-cleared scalp cooling system that is fully portable. With Amma, facilities across the country can now provide this treatment to eligible patients without compromising space and extended chair time.
What’s next?
We’re incredibly excited about what the future holds. Since receiving our Category I CPT codes in January, we’ve seen tremendous momentum and believe we’re entering an exciting new phase of growth for scalp cooling.
As the only U.S. provider focused solely on scalp cooling and the only portable solution designed to avoid disrupting patient scheduling or nursing workflows, we’re uniquely positioned to help more patients access this important supportive care therapy.
Over the next several years, we’re focused on expanding access, partnering with more oncology centers, and continuing to improve the patient and provider experience. We’re incredibly excited about the opportunity to make scalp cooling more widely available and to support more patients throughout their cancer journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://coolerheads.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coolerheadscancercare/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoolerHeadsCare/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cooler-heads-technology/
