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A stranger's compliment helped her feel confident after chemo

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+ By Laura Kwerel Pat Gentile smiles today.
− Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Planet Money Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics A stranger's compliment helped her feel confident after chemo When Pat Gentile began to grow out her hair after chemotherapy, she was nervous to go to work for the first time without a wig.
+ In 2010, while she was undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, a stranger in a convenience store told her she looked "fabulous" and helped her feel normal and seen.
− An unexpected encounter with a convenience store stranger changed that.
+ Pat Gentile hide caption In her late 50s, Pat Gentile was diagnosed with breast cancer.
− National A stranger's compliment helped her feel confident after chemo May 21, 20264:23 PM ET Heard on All Things Considered A stranger's compliment helped her feel confident after chemo Listen &middot; 2:52 2:52 Transcript Toggle more options Download Embed Embed "> <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5825045/nx-s1-9780683" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript When Pat Gentile began to grow out her hair after chemotherapy, she was nervous to go to work for the first time without a wig.
+ During chemotherapy, she lost all her hair, so she began to wear a wig. "But that wig — and I only had one wig — that wig was itchy, and it was annoying," Gentile said.
− An unexpected encounter with a convenience store stranger changed that.
+ "So at some point, I decided when I sort of had a crew cut look that it was time to give the wig up." Her first time driving to work without the wig, Gentile felt exposed.
− Sponsor Message JUANA SUMMERS, HOST: Time now for "My Unsung Hero," our series from the team at the Hidden Brain podcast.
+ As the dean of a local college and a frequent spokesperson, she worried about how people would respond. "I didn't want to get the 'pity eyes' that people give you when you're sick," Gentile said.
− "My Unsung Hero" tells the stories of people whose kindness left a lasting impression on someone else.
+ "I wanted to just keep moving." My Unsung Hero How a nurse's kind words changed the course of one woman's life She stopped at a convenience store to pick up some coffee and lunch.
− Today's story comes from Pat Gentile.
+ As she shopped through the aisles, a woman approached her.
− In her late 50s, Pat was diagnosed with breast cancer. During chemotherapy, she lost all of her hair, so she started wearing a wig.
+ Fifteen years later, Gentile still remembers what the woman said.
− PAT GENTILE: But that wig - and I only had one wig.
+ "She said, 'Not everybody could wear a hairstyle like that.
− That wig was itchy and it was annoying.
+ You look fabulous.'" Gentile was stunned.
− And when I worked all day, I'd get a headache by the time I got home.
+ She managed to say, "Thank you," before the woman walked away.
− So at some point, I decided when I sort of had a crew cut look that it was time to give the wig up.
+ Then she went back to her car, letting the words settle. "I sat there for a while, sort of embracing this wonderful, kind thing that this person had said to me," Gentile said. "And it really made a turning point for me that made me feel seen, made me feel normal and gave me the courage to get to work and just get started." My Unsung Hero Neighbors and church members transformed the home of a man with terminal cancer Gentile donated the wig and never looked back.
− So on my way to work, the very first time I was going to wear no wig, it was really nerve-racking because I didn't want to get the pity eyes that people give you when you're sick. I wanted to just keep moving on my work and in my profession. I was a dean at a college. I was a spokesperson. I was in a lot of visibility. And so the professional look was important. And so I was really nervous the first day that I went to work without my wig.
+ She completed chemotherapy and has had no evidence of cancer since 2011.
− And I had stopped prior to work at a convenience store.
+ Thinking back to that encounter, she credits the woman's kindness as a turning point.
− And I was in the aisles, and a woman came up to me, said, not everybody could wear a hairstyle like that. You look fabulous. And I was stunned but got thank you very much out. And then she just walked away.
+ She says it inspires her to see other people the way that stranger saw her and to acknowledge what they might be going through.
− (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) GENTILE: And when I got back out to the car, I sat there for a while, sort of, you know, embracing this wonderful, kind thing that this person had said to me.
+ "I think about this woman a lot.
− And it really made a turning point for me that made me feel seen, made me feel normal, and gave me the courage to get to work and just get started. So that's what happened. And so I think about this woman a lot.
I still see her in my mind's eye. I only saw her for a few seconds, but she made such an impression on me that I'm kinder because of her.
− So I'm very grateful to her. SUMMERS: Pat Gentile lives in Sea Isle City, New Jersey.
+ So I'm very grateful." My Unsung Hero is also a podcast — new episodes are released every Tuesday.
− She has had no evidence of cancer since 2011. You can find more stories of unsung heroes and learn how to submit your own at hiddenbrain.org.
+ To share the story of your unsung hero with the Hidden Brain team, record a voice memo on your phone and send it to [email protected].
− (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Copyright &copy; 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. Facebook Flipboard Email Read & Listen Home News Culture Music Podcasts & Shows Connect Newsletters Facebook Instagram Press Public Editor Corrections Transcripts Contact & Help About NPR Overview Diversity NPR Network Accessibility Ethics Finances Get Involved Support Public Radio Sponsor NPR NPR Careers NPR Shop NPR Extra Terms of Use Privacy Your Privacy Choices Text Only Sponsor Message Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor (function () { var loadPageJs = function () { (window.webpackJsonp=window.webpackJsonp||[]).push([[22],{1169:function(e,n,c){e.exports=c(321)},321:function(e,n,c){"use strict";c.p=NPR.serverVars.webpackPublicPath,Promise.all([c.e(1),c.e(2),c.e(3),c.e(4),c.e(82)]).then(function(e){c(3),c(1141),c(116),c(95),c(52),c(491),c(240),c(102),c(104),c(1142),c(144),c(1143),c(239),c(48),c(1144)}.bind(null,c)).catch(c.oe)}},[[1169,0]]]); }; if (document.readyState === 'complete') { loadPageJs(); } else { window.addEventListener('load', function load() { window.removeEventListener('load', load, false); loadPageJs(); }); } })();
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