Fueling Resilience with Culinary Medicine

The Penn State Cancer Institute (PSCI) is located on the campus of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The PSCI provides clinical care, research, education, and community outreach services throughout its 28-county catchment area with more than four million residents, including 19 counties that are part of rural Appalachia. Within the Cancer Institute, the CARE (Cancer Assistance & Resource Education) Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive, whole person care through a host of programs and services that extend beyond treating the cancer alone. One such program is SurviveWELL, which provides participants with weekly virtual wellness sessions facilitated by professional(s) with expertise in nutrition, yoga, mindfulness, and energy work. Participants in the SurviveWELL program are offered voluntary and complimentary access to Rewire Health's white labeled "PursuitApp" to provide additional nutrition support.  

Cancer and Nutrition 

Nutrition is a crucial factor in cancer prevention, treatment, and recovery. As medical science advances, the relationship between nutrition and cancer is gaining prominence, encouraging that nutrition be considered a vital component of high-quality cancer care. Additionally, nutrition interventions offer patients a way to actively participate in their healing journey through opportunities to engage with delicious food and connect with others around the table.

• ‍Prevention: While no diet can guarantee immunity to cancer, a diet rich in vibrant fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can significantly reduce risk.‍
• Treatment: Nourishing the body with a balanced diet and adequate protein can help maintain muscle mass, boost energy levels, and support immune function – all critical components in the fight against cancer. However, nutrition can get complicated. Symptoms like nausea, constipation, altered taste, and potential disruptions to major digestive pathways and organ functions can dissuade people from eating. Working with a dietitian or certified nutrition expert is critical to creating a feasible nutrition plan.  ‍
• Recovery: Healing after treatment can be a long and challenging process. As the body and spirit rebuild, nutrition can play a pivotal role in recovery. Ensuring adequate daily food intake, including the right types of food, can make all the difference in how a person feels and heals.  

Enhanced Care

The CARE Center partnered with Rewire Health to enhance the established SurviveWELL program with personalized nutrition resources and engagement via an app that translates nutrition science to real food and daily behavior.

Dr. Michael Hayes, Director of the CARE Center, states, “This region of central Pennsylvania is vibrant and culturally diverse, including both urban centers and portions of rural Appalachia, as well as active local agriculture and areas designated as food deserts. Harnessing technology to facilitate culinary habit formation in the nutrition space has the potential to be truly transformational, particularly in light of a dearth of registered dietitian and restrictive criteria for their services to be reimbursed by third party payers”

Rewire Health works with a host of programs, like SurviveWELL, to help provide the necessary tools to fight chronic illnesses, such as cancer. Partnering with health care institutions has the potential to improve patient care through scalable and personalized resources.