Jill Martin is keeping her spirits high during her recovery journey post-chemotherapy.
In a recent Instagram post on May 4, the Today show correspondent shared a lighthearted video showcasing her newfound wild hair growth, a humorous nod to her ongoing battle with breast cancer. Diagnosed in July 2023, just after testing positive for the BRCA gene, the 47-year-old experienced hair loss during her chemotherapy treatment.
With a chuckle, Martin addressed inquiries about her regrowing hair, playfully remarking, "So I just want to keep it real. People have been asking if my hair is growing back. Umm, it is… it’s just growing up."
In the clip, she proudly displayed a coffee mug adorned with a cartoon duck sporting upward-growing plants on its head, a humorous comparison to her own hair growth journey.
Acknowledging the assistance of Claudia, who aided her with the cold cap treatment that preserved a portion of her hair, Martin playfully embraced her resemblance to the quirky duck mug, exclaiming, "We’re twinsies!"
Martin also celebrated the return of her eyelashes and eyebrows, but humorously emphasized her "exceptional" hair growth for the day.
Ending the video on a light-hearted note, the lifestyle contributor challenged her followers to guess the movie character she resembled, captioning, "Sometimes you just have to laugh. 😂 ❤️💃"
In October 2023, Martin shared with PEOPLE her apprehension about losing her hair during her breast cancer treatment, alongside the myriad of emotions she was grappling with.
"I know it might sound trivial, but I have a deep attachment to my hair," she confessed. "It's always been a source of pride for me."
Upon learning about cold-capping from her surgeon, Dr. Elisa Port, Martin saw it as a potential solution to mitigate hair loss. Cold-capping involves freezing hair follicles at sub-zero temperatures during chemotherapy to shield them from the damaging effects of the drugs.
Acknowledging the diverse responses people have towards hair loss in cancer treatment, Martin emphasized the importance of individual choice. While some find empowerment in shaving their heads preemptively, Martin opted for cold-capping to maintain a sense of normalcy during her public appearances on Today and Zoom calls.
Opting to undergo cold-capping simultaneously with her chemotherapy sessions meant enduring lengthy hours in a chair.
Reflecting on her decision, Martin remarked, "If I hadn't tried cold-capping, I would be completely bald right now. It's like enduring a 12-hour brain freeze."
Despite the challenges, Martin's determination to preserve her hair reflects her desire to maintain a semblance of control and privacy amidst her public battle with cancer.
The Quran - Chapter Al-Fath : 18
Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you ˹O Prophet˺ under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down serenity upon them and rewarded them with a victory at hand,
During the Hudaybiyyah journey, on one occasion, a rumour started circulating that the Quraysh had killed ‘Uthman, who had gone to them as an envoy of the Prophet.
This was an aggressive step. So, the Prophet sat under an acacia tree and took a pledge from the fourteen hundred companions that they would lay down their lives, but would not show their backs to the enemy.
In the history of Islam, this pledge is known as the Pledge of Ridhwan. The place at which this pledge was taken was two hundred and fifty miles from Madinah and only twelve miles from Makkah, i.e. the Muslims were far away from the centre of their activities, while the Quraysh were very near home.
The Muslims had set forth with the intention of performing the minor pilgrimage (‘umrah) as such they had only the basic equipments with them, while the Quraysh were well equipped for warfare.
In such critical circumstances, it was the people’s emotions of sincerity which prompted them to support the Prophet, in the absence of any external pressure.
