Teenage cancer patients
We were privileged to be invited to spend a day with six amazing teenagers who were undergoing cancer treatment in University College Hospital London.
Food, for teenage cancer patients, can be a contentious subject - often loosing their taste buds as part of treatment and suffering from weight gain or weight loss.
Hospital nutritionists offer teenagers and their patients valuable advice on a regular basis. We thought we would continue this fantastic work and teach the children some hands-on experience by spending a day showing the youngsters how to translate this advice into delicious food and re-inspire them to cook and eat!
On the menu was:
Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
A quick, tasty mid-week supper, easy to fortify with rich coconut milk
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Risotto three ways
Leek and bacon, Salmon and Asparagus or Beetroot and goats cheese
An Italian classic, easy to make when you know how and try with different flavours
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Mini Beef Burgers with home-made salsa and dressed salad
Better than any fast food chain! Tasty, easy to freeze and can also be adapted
and made into meatballs / spaghetti Bolognese
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Chocolate truffles
A brilliant way to impress friends & easy to fortify with nuts, coconut and cream
The patients served their parents the food they had created – there were smiles all round and several of the patients vowed to try out their newfound skills in the comfort of their own home.
Nick and Pam Wallis from the Amy Wallace Magpie Trust commented:
“To see the children’s faces as they worked with Jeff, to join them in sampling the food they had made and to hear from their parents how excited the children were about their special day was truly magical.”
Dr Sara Stoneham from University College Hospital; founder of this project comments:
“Thank you so much for all the effort, care and attention to detail that allowed to make the day such a success. Consummately professional you made it all feel effortless! The feedback verbally has been that they loved it and haven’t stopped talking about it!”
Thank you to all who took part and we hope to continue with this fantastic programme of work to improve the health
and wellbeing of teenage cancer patients.
