Nutrition Program Receives $10K Grant

CANCER CENTER RECEIVES $10K FROM WINN-DIXIE GRANT
Grant to fund healthy eating program developed by Center dietitian

COVINGTON - Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at St. Tammany Parish Hospital received a $10,000 grant from the Bi-Lo Winn-Dixie Foundation to fund “Fighting with Your Fork,” a new program for cancer patients and their caregivers to improve treatment outcomes through healthy eating.

“Good nutrition practices can help cancer patients maintain weight and generally improve quality of life both during and after treatment,” said Hailey Story, MS, RD, LDN, cancer center dietician and Fighting with Your Fork creator. “My goal is to equip patients with easy, practical and proven recipes made with nourishing ingredients for healthy living.”

The grant will help provide participants with free cookbooks and printed recipe cards for each of the monthly classes this year, in addition to food Story will cook for guests to sample.

“We are so grateful that our local Winn-Dixie stores have joined the fight against cancer,” said Cancer Center Administrator Rob Leonhard. “By supporting us in our mission to improve survivorship, they are benefitting the greater community as a whole. It is partnerships like these that contribute to providing everything cancer patients need to receive their treatment at home with loved ones nearby.”

The free Fighting with Your Fork classes are held at the cancer center each month from 10:30 -11:30 a.m.  The next one will be held Feb. 26. For more information, call Story at 985-276-6831.

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