Introduction

Background

My son was diagnosed with a rare cancer, Plueropulmonary Blastoma (PPB), in the fall of 2009 at the age of 2.5 years old. He recently finished chemotherapy after 13 rounds, 3 major surgeries and 2 radiation treatments. For more information on PPB see www.ppbregistry.org and more information on my son's history, see http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/benpurcell/guestbook

Nutrition

When he was first diagnosed, we were told to follow the 'cancer diet' which means increase his fat and protein. We were told to let him eat anything so he doesn't lose wieght. I understand and agree that a cancer patient needs to gain back any weight lost and must have meat on their bones to withstand the treatment. That being stated, there are so many things that a parent can do to increase the nutritional value of a child's meal, without them knowing the difference. How does a 3 year old know the difference between a nitrate-laden hot dog and nitrate-free turkey dog? Or standard ketchup versus organic ketchup (higher in Lycopene).

This Blog

There are hundreds of books about cancer and nutrition out there. There are VERY FEW books on feeding a child who has cancer. There are obvious challenges to feeding a child with cancer. An adult can choke down 8 oz of pureed vegetables because we know why we're doing it. Kids can be picky and stubborn. I have chosen to fight this battle with my son because I believe that it has helped him stay strong through treatment and will help him ultimately beat cancer long term.

Disclaimer

I am not a medical doctor or a nutritionist. I am blogging what I have changed in his diet based on books I have read and recommendations from his oncologist, nutritionist and naturapath.