Cancer is a difficult and challenging disease to face. But for more than 1,100 Dartmouth Cancer Center patients—11% of all new patients in 2022—the challenges don't stop there. These patients are not only fighting cancer, but they are also facing food insecurity. With 22% of patients struggling to afford healthy food, many are forced to make an impossible choice between groceries and life-saving cancer treatments.
A simple question
To help these patients, in February of 2022, Dartmouth Cancer Center, through the leadership of continuing care manager Catherine M. Reed, MSW, launched a six-month food pantry pilot program.
Catherine realized that food insecurity was nothing less than an epidemic among Cancer Center patients after asking many of them a simple question: “What have you had to eat today?” The goal of the program was to reduce stress and improve health outcomes by providing two weeks of food every two weeks. With The Haven and key partners in the Upper Valley region, the pilot program provided 150 patients with almost 800 bags of food in the first 11 months.
Launching a comprehensive Food Pantry program over the next five years will enable us to meet our patients’ immediate needs and generate long-term impact:
Needs:
- Increase the variety of foods and supplements offered
- Provide two weeks of food every two weeks
- Move to a larger space for increased food storage and preparation areas
- Serve all Dartmouth Cancer Center patients in need across all cancer groups
- Track patient-reported outcomes over time
Impact:
- Improve patient health outcomes
- Reduce stress experienced by cancer patients
- Feed 2,000+ food-insecure cancer patients each year
- Collaborate with Cancer Center researchers to evaluate the impact of the program
While this program has made a difference, it is just getting started and there is still a pressing need for expansion to better serve all patients in need through a comprehensive program.
Pantry meets Prouty
The cost of the program is why, new this year, a portion of Prouty fundraiser dollars will be dedicated to expansion of the Cancer Center Food Pantry through its support of patient and family support services. With the record-breaking funds raised at the 2022 Prouty and other Friends of Dartmouth Cancer Center events, the groundwork has been laid and part-time registered dietician Dianne Kelecy secured to support expansion of the Food Pantry. This year, the fundraising goal of $7 million will allow so much more.
“By ensuring that all patients have access to healthy food, we can help them to focus on their cancer treatment and improve their overall health outcomes,” says Dartmouth Cancer Center director Steven D. Leach, MD. “This investment can make a real difference in the lives of those who are living with cancer.”
In addition, The Prouty, as always, will continue to fund:
- Research: Prouty Pilot grants are awarded to scientists throughout the year, providing seed-funding to launch ground-breaking ideas to help discover new and better ways to treat cancer and enhance survivorship.
- Clinical trials: Patient access to clinical trials improves outcomes, and Prouty dollars support the Clinical Trial Accrual Improvement Project, with a goal of doubling clinical trial accruals in the next 3-4 years.
- Patient and family support services: Thousands of instances of meaningful support services that ease the journey of cancer patients and their loved ones are offered free of charge thanks to Prouty funds. These services go beyond the clinical care provided in the hospital—things like art, writing and music therapy and support groups organized by the Complementary Care Program, as well as transportation and grocery assistance and more, organized by oncology social workers.
By supporting this year's Prouty and helping reach the goal of $7 million, you will help curb food insecurity among patients with cancer in our community, and expand life-saving programs and care at Dartmouth Cancer Center.
To get involved, please visit theprouty.org.