Newsletter Number 2 – February 2017

In the very modern but picturesque tapestry room of the MAGA Museum in Gallarate, the first Oncology and Food event took place for the presentation of the online portal. Along with the O&F team, there were many participants, including the complete team from the Oncology Unit of Gallarate Hospital, patients and friends. Luca Missoni, an important representative from the illustrative Mission family, inaugurated the evening.

Dr. Salvatore Artale spoke about how it all started.  He wanted to give an answer to the many questions his patients asked during visits about what they could eat to alleviate their symptoms. Faced with a pressing scenario on TV and on the web, which gives information about what we should and shouldn’t eat, chef recipes, programs and so on, Dr. Artale who deals directly with patients, decided to create a team of professionals to offer food support adapted to the needs of patients. Hence, Oncology and Food began thanks to the constant attention and deep sensitivity Dr. Artale always has shown towards his patients.  Among the O&F staff are several professional figures alongside Dr Artale: nutritionist – Erika Vecchio, chef – Giovanni Maggi, webmaster of the website – Corrado Rebecchi, and scientific coordinator – Alessandra Trojani.

The goal is to achieve 100 percent adherence to medical treatments. Dr. Artale explained that a proper diet is needed for each patient according to their needs. The intent of ‘normalism’ is not to go against the current but to follow scientific notions by indicating useful foods.
After his speech, Corrado Rebecchi explained how to navigate the online site, a tool which everyone can easily use and which also gives answers to some of the patients’ questions. The aim was to create a direct link between patients and those interested in following a healthy diet which is in line with their own needs and the issues of cancer patients. Corrado Rebecchi has emphasized the potential of the portal which is not just  an anonymous information site, but a dynamic, interactive site where the professional figures of O&F offer advice to people.
The nutritionist –  Erika Vecchio told us about the importance of the role of nutrition before, during and after  oncology therapy, providing practical advice on how to eat properly and so  cope with the side effects of treatments (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, molecular target therapy, etc.).
Alessandra Trojani who is the  scientific coordinator, presented the first online magazine, the portal newsletter, and spoke about  the following O&F initiatives.
Finally, Giovanni Maggi, whose simple, healthy and original recipes are already on the site, is the chef of Oncology and Food. Chef Maggi suggests recipes that use foods that can help the patient to better face the therapeutic and clinical pathway. An example of this is an easy recipe to help a patient suffering from diarrhea or constipation.

The buffet which was original, light and very captivating included combinations of innovative and curious elements. If you look in the section dedicated to the event you will find images taken of the evening. The cocoa pudding with cocoa powder and mint, was attractive to look at, and at the same time, curious, delicately tasty and highly appreciated. The recipe follows…

The main topic of the next newsletter is iron or sideropenic anemia.  A condition that can be found both in oncological patients and healthy people. The nutritionist’s advice and chef’s recipes will provide useful information about how to address it.

A special thanks to our readers!