The Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center (ECCC) at Cabell Huntington Hospital is the fourth Mountain Health Network (MHN) facility to partner with Facing Hunger Foodbank to provide healthy, medically indicated meals for patients. Since beginning the effort earlier this year, the ECCC has provided food boxes to more than 100 patients.
For more than four years, MHN has partnered with the Foodbank to distribute food boxes to patients with chronic disease. Since 2018, meals have been provided to dialysis patients at the Fresenius Kidney Care J. Robert Pritchard Dialysis Center at Cabell Huntington Hospital and at HIMG. The partnership grew to serve diabetic patients at St. Mary’s Medical Center, and most recently, oncology patients at ECCC.
“We decided to reach out to Facing Hunger Foodbank, an organization with a long history of assisting the region’s health care community through medically indicated food distribution. Together, we launched the ECCC Food Box Distribution Program, which to date, has fed more than 100 patients on a consistent basis,” said Molly Brumfield, RN, BSN, MBA, OCN, manager of medical and surgical programs at the ECCC. “This collaborative effort between the amazing team at Facing Hunger and our oncology staff has resulted in less stressed, healthier patients who don’t have to dedicate time and energy to worrying about what’s for dinner, but rather, they can focus on their cancer treatments and all of the changes that come with a cancer diagnosis.”
ECCC patient Thomas Kraemer said the program is much appreciated.
“I found out about the program through the ECCC’s social worker, and it has helped a lot. Many people can’t afford groceries and are limited on what they can buy. Now, we are eating healthier because of the boxes, and that’s a good thing,” said Kraemer.
Facing Hunger Foodbank Executive Director Cynthia Kirkhart said the medically indicated food boxes are created with the specific intention of preventing the progression of disease and enhancing the overall well-being of each patient.
“For the ECCC program, we worked with licensed social worker, Marybeth Hager, and licensed dietitian, Susan Hale, to evaluate each family’s diet considerations to ensure we were meeting their specific needs. For example, the most recent distribution box incorporated yogurt and fresh milk from Snowville Creamery for those cancer patients who require soft diets,” Kirkhart said. “The hospital staff has been so committed to our shared goal of providing sustainable food options for those in our community. We hope to continue expanding our partnership with Mountain Health Network for many years to come.”
To learn more about how you can contribute to the Mountain Health Network Food Box Distribution Programs, call 304.523.6029.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up