Good nutrition and healthy eating are essential to fighting cancer. That’s why our clinical dieticians are constantly learning and developing enhanced ways to help patients with their nutrition in order to maximize their strength while undergoing treatment.
Mary Bird Perkins TGMC Cancer Center is excited to announce that Allison Cazenave, CSO, RDN, LDN, is now a Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition (CSO) by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
The certification allows dieticians to gain more specialized knowledge on providing and recommending nutritional services to oncology patients.
In order to earn CSO certification, Allison completed a minimum of 2,000 hours in oncology nutrition in less than two years, followed by a certification exam. In order to maintain this credential, she will have to retest every five years.
While Cazenave is one of eight CSOs in the state of Louisiana, she is the only Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition in the Bayou Region. Cazenave elected to pursue the certification when she began working at Terrebonne General Medical Center as a patient dietician, and soon began gaining her hours when she transitioned to working for Mary Bird Perkins TGMC Cancer Center.
The achievement was more than another certification to her – it was a way for her to provide the best recommendations and resources to cancer patients.
“I always want to learn as much as I can about providing the best nutritional care to patients,” said Allison. “By pursuing the CSO certification, I knew I was gaining vital experience and knowledge about cancer treatment and how it affects nutrition.”
Allison’s commitment to providing advanced care and nutritional counseling services to our patients is part of the comprehensive care at Mary Bird Perkins TGMC Cancer Center.
All of the Cancer Center’s dieticians have special training in oncology and nutrition, and make recommendations to address the side effects of cancer treatment and to provide maximum nutrition for each patient based on their type of cancer. They also make offer counseling post-treatments for patients in need of assistance.
Click here for more information about nutritional services offered at Mary Bird Perkins TGMC Cancer Center. And to hear more form Allison about the importance of nutrition during cancer treatment, watch the video below.