By David McCoy,

You hear that one word: cancer, and all of sudden everything has changed. Priorities shift, commitments alter and life seems much more precious. When most think of cancer it’s of the hospitals, the radiation, the surgery, the chemotherapy, but rarely does food enter the imagination. In reality, while battling cancer nutrition is extremely important and often very difficult to maintain. You are tired, you are sick, you are in and out of hospitals and, even in the best cases, shopping and cooking are the last things on your mind. Fortunately, there are people thinking about food as it relates to cancer and working to help provide support. 

"I don't work because I can't. I’ve been battling kidney cancer for years and I’ll be honest, it doesn’t look good." Read Darryl's story.

The Center for Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is just such an organization, recognizing how people's lives are affected by cancer. They have seen that good nutrition helps patients maintain their body weight, retain strength and fight infection, while often decreasing recovery times and reducing complications. What they found was that many of their clients, particularly immigrants, are simultaneously battling cancer and food insecurity. The latter stems from the usual sources of economic instability but is also a result of the cancer itself.

Through a partnership with the Center for Immigrant Health, the Food Bank has been able to link hospitals with local food pantries to ensure that people fighting for their lives have the necessary food to help win the battle. On a regular basis, staff members from the Center for Immigrant Health travel to a local pantry and pick up food for their clients. These supplies are brought back to the hospital and the patients leave their appointments with food to help support their health.

While this initiative is in its infancy — working in four hospitals in New York City so far — a dramatic expansion of this service is planned in order to provide more New Yorkers with a much needed hand during a time that is riddled with turmoil, uncertainty and fear.