Good nutrition helps patients in so many ways. At Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, comprehensive patient care extends far beyond treatment. Each patient is paired with a dedicated navigator who helps coordinate everything from treatment scheduling to holistic support services, including food assistance, which is just one part of a broader commitment to our approach to whole-patient care.
Proper nutrition is essential during treatment and recovery, which is why we offer access to our therapeutic food services. It is designed to help patients maintain a diverse, nutritious diet along with personalized nutrition support and education from registered dietitians. What a patient receives from the pantry is directly aligned with their specific treatment needs, guided by input from their physicians.
Jordan Davis, MS, RDN, LDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist who has been with Mary Bird Perkins for nearly three years. She has witnessed firsthand the positive impact the pantry has on patients. Food insecurity continues to affect numerous households today and many patients are not only navigating treatment, but some are also caring for children, supporting families, and facing financial challenges all while trying to manage their own health, which can add stress during an already difficult time.
“I always remind my patients, that our mission here at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is to lessen the burden of cancer, and access to nutritious food is an important part of that mission,” says Jordan. “What fulfills me most is seeing a patient’s face light up with signs of relief and gratitude when I tell them about our therapeutic food pantry.”
In Covington and Hammond, Mary Bird Perkins operates a dedicated food pantry in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans. Two thousand pounds of food are received each month. Patients visit the pantry weekly to pick up a curated bag of groceries tailored to their individual needs.
In Baton Rouge and Opelousas, social workers and patient navigators coordinate grocery orders through Walmart, allowing patients to conveniently pick up via Walmart curbside service.
As Mary Bird Perkins expands its footprint, we are actively exploring therapeutic food solutions to ensure access to nutritional support across all service areas. Our commitment is simple: to support every cancer patient, wherever they are.
In addition to nutritional support, Mary Bird Perkins provides a comprehensive range of integrative care services for patients actively undergoing treatment. These services include:
Our personalized guidance in these areas is designed to help remove barriers, allowing patients to stay focused on their care and overall wellbeing.
Since its beginning more than 50 years ago, Mary Bird Perkins has ensured everyone has access to the cancer care they need, regardless of their ability to pay. Backed by generous donors, the Cancer Center achieves this by providing key support services, patient navigation, early detection, education, clinical research, and many other forms of assistance.
Philanthropic support ensures that every patient—regardless of their circumstances—has access to personalized guidance and compassionate care. By removing barriers to treatment, our donors help reduce stress, alleviate uncertainty, and improve outcomes for patients and their families when they need it most.
