The Hassenfeld Children’s Center recognizes the important role that nutrition plays in cancer care. During treatment many patients have nutrition challenges such as loss of appetite, taste changes, nausea, additional calorie needs, and immune system challenges that limit certain food choices. The Hassenfeld care team works to provide support to patients and families to answer nutrition questions and to provide resources that help all families make healthy food choices together during treatment and after.

During their clinic visit, patients and families can meet individually with a Registered Dietician who can answer specific nutrition questions that respond to a patient’s individual needs and personal care plan. Hassenfeld’s library has a growing collection of specialized cookbooks for patients and families to use, as well as a collection of brochures and pamphlets. Members of the care team can work with patients and families to find the best resources for a patient’s or family’s individual needs.

It is important to talk to your doctor and care team honestly about nutritional supplements, vitamins, and herbs because they can interfere with treatment and medications, even if they are natural products. Research is growing about how different foods, supplements, and herbs influence cancer treatment and side effects, but there is still a lot we don’t know. The Hassenfeld Center encourages patients to talk with their care team so that we can work together to achieve the best outcome for your care.

A member of your care team can work with you to:

• Set up an appointment with a Registered Dietician.
• Locate brochures and pamphlets on nutrition topics related to your treatment.
• Discuss your unique nutrition concerns.
• Provide food suggestions for times when white blood cell counts are low.
• Research your questions about nutritional supplements.
• Identify special cookbooks from our library that can provide recipe ideas.