EDITORIAL: Help cancer food bank, please

THERE ARE FEW ILLNESSES that can devastate an individual as cancer does. It can take a psychological toll from the time of the diagnosis of to the strain of treatment, both physically and financially. Even for those who have put aside for that “rainy day” battling this disease can be ruinous in many ways.
The situation confronting cancer patients and their relatives often means that any help is most welcome. So the recent suggestion from the honorary secretary of the Barbados Cancer Society, Dr Dorothy Cooke-Johnson, that a food bank be established to help these patients is one that should be embraced.
In many cases, the medical fraternity can do little to control the unsustainable cost of medication, and while there are constant calls for changes in the way care is delivered, those afflicted with cancer are interested in one thing: winning the fight against the disease.
   So patients and their relatives spend heavily for services from a range of medical professionals from surgeons to oncologists; for anticancer drugs; for private hospitalization.
Both the Cancer Society and Cancer Support Services would have first-hand knowledge of the varied challenges cancer patients and their immediate household face, from transportation to the hospital or the clinic for treatment to having a nourishing meal. When they speak to the issues we need to take note.
This disease requires difficult choices and discussions all along the way. The increasingly important role of the nurses in what is now described as “high touch” practice is necessary as is the doctor’s talk about palliative care services and even end-of-life consideration for the victim.
But it is not a situation without hope. Research has been intensified over the years in combating various types of cancers with significant success, resulting in many sufferers of the various forms of cancer enjoying life – thanks to a combination of factors.
So with methods such as chemotherapy, radiation and other treatments, the road to recovery can be promising. However, the body is usually impacted in many ways, leaving the patient weak. That is why making healthy food choices can be one of the most crucial things to help the sufferer feel better and also have a faster recovery.
This is where the idea of a food bank becomes very important. Healthy food choices at the guidance of the oncologist, and more so the nutritionist, are necessary to ensure that all the requirements, including food safety are, met. Many cancer patients, sometimes unknowingly, eat too many of the wrong foods –  for instance, high levels of sugar, red meats and high percentages of processed foods. It is about the right foods.
Therefore, a food bank for cancer patients cannot be treated in the same way as the HIV food bank. This thoughtful idea requires more thoughtful charity.