2 Minute Read
Arkansas’ First Food Is Medicine Program For Cancer Patients
Battling cancer is unimaginably difficult. Every year, nearly 15,000 to 17,000 Arkansas residents are diagnosed with invasive cancer. But the diagnosis itself is often only part of the battle. Comorbidities—chronic health conditions like diabetes or hypertension existing alongside cancer—can severely complicate treatment and stall recovery.
We know that managing these chronic health issues is deeply tied to what’s on our plates. Yet, for a cancer patient undergoing rigorous treatment, accessing and affording fresh, specialized, and nutritious food is an uphill battle.
At Well Fed, we’re changing that narrative.
We are thrilled to announce a brand-new partnership with the Blue & You Foundation, the Jones-Dunklin Cancer Center, and the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership (ARHP) to launch a brand-new Food Is Medicine initiative in central Arkansas.
How The Food Is Medicine program Works:
This program bridges the gap between the clinic and the kitchen. Care managers at the hospital will screen and refer 180 patients into the program, dividing participants into four specialized cancer subgroups to ensure their nutritional support matches their specific medical needs.
Similar to our previous FIM Program with UAMS, participants will receive a medically tailored grocery box each month, packed with fresh produce, meats, and dairy products. By sourcing these ingredients straight from local farms and grocers, we aren’t just boosting our local agricultural economy—we are delivering the dignity of fresh, high-quality food directly to families when they need it most.
Tracking True Outcomes
We aren’t doing this alone. To ensure this initiative creates lasting systemic change, we’ve built an incredible ecosystem of collaborators:
- Our Research Partner for Data Tracking: In collaboration with the hospital, our research team will securely track clinical health metrics—like blood pressure and A1C levels—throughout the program. This data will provide invaluable, objective measurements of the program’s success and map out a blueprint for the future of nutrition-based healthcare.
- Our Dietetics Partner for Monthly Education: Nutrition is a long-term journey. Our dietetics partners will lead custom nutritional coaching and cooking masterclasses, giving patients the practical skills and confidence they need to succeed at home for years to come.
Changing the Healthcare System With Food is medicine
At its core, this initiative is about something much bigger than handing out boxes of food for a few months. It is about putting cancer patients on a trajectory toward better long-term health, while saving families and the healthcare system much-needed dollars.
Ultimately, we are gathering the definitive clinical data necessary to prove that precise nutrition interventions work. Our ultimate goal? To show the healthcare system that food is medicine, paving the way for these programs to be permanently covered by health insurance.
Want to watch our monthly progress bars load? Sign up for our newsletter below to get exclusive, behind-the-scenes updates as we roll out this program.