Cystic Fibrosis patients face food insecurity

CYSTIC FIBROSIS CANSPEND THOUSANDSOF DOLLARS EACHMONTH FOR THEIRNEEDEDMEDICATIONS.

ANDSOMETIMES THATMEANS THEY CAN'TAFFORD THE FOODTHEY NEED FORTHEIR SPECIALIZEDDIET.SIX ON YOUR SIDE'SJESSICA TAYLORSHOW US THEALARMING RATE OFC-F PATIENTSBATTLING FOODINSECURITY.SAINT LUKE'S RAN ASTUDY SEVERALYEARS BACK ANDFOUND A THIRD OFTHEIR CHILDREN ANDHALF OF THEIRADULTS WITH CYSTICFIBROSIS WEREFOOD INSECURE.TO TRY AND FILLTHAT OBVIOUS NEED,THEY ESTABLISHED AFOOD PANTRY FORTHEIR PATIENTSRIGHT INSIDE THEIRCLINIC."VERY EXPENSIVE, ITCAN BE, YOU HAVETO DO A LOT OFDIGGING TO PAY FORTHE MEDSCYSTIC FIBROSISCARRIES A HEFTYPRICE TAG.

ANDSOME PATIENTS FINDAFTER PAYING FORTHEIR DAILYMEDICATIONS ANDRESPIRATORYTREATMENTS.

THEYCAN'T AFFORD A TRIPTO THE GROCERYSTORE."IT'S NOT UNUSUALFOR PATIENTS TOHAVE EITHEROCCASIONAL ORONGOINGDIFFICULTIESAFFORDING FOODTHE CLINIC FOUND ATHIRD OF CHILDRENAND NEARLY HALF OFTHEIR ADULTPATIENTS ARE FOODINSECURE.

NOW, ST.LUKE'S STOCKSTHEIR SHELVES WITHESSENTIALS FORPATIENTS IN NEEDS."SO THIS IS WHEREWE KEEP OUR FOODFOR OUR PANTRY.HAZELNUT SPREADS,PEANUT BUTTER,THINGS LIKE THAT"IT STARTED AFTERADMITTING A TEEN TOTHE HOSPITALAROUNDTHANKSGIVING TIMEIN 2012.

AND THEYWEREN'T IN A RUSHTO GET HOME FORTHE HOLIDAY."THEY SAID, OHPLEASE I'M BEINGFED HERE, AND WEALL WENT OH MYGOSH.

WE HAD ASENSE OF WHO WASFOOD INSECURE INOUR CLINIC ANDTHAT JUST HIT ITHOME FOR US"PEOPLE WITH C-FGENERALLY NEED AHIGHER CALORIE, FATAND SODIUM DIET."JUST NEEDING TOEAT MORE CALORIESMEANS THEY'REUSUALLY GOING TONEED TO EAT AHIGHER QUANTITY OFFOOD OR FOODSTHAT ARE MORECALORIE AND FATDENSE AND IT'S NOTUNUSUAL FOR THOSETO BE MOREEXPENSIVE FOODSBEING FOODINSECURE' DOESN'TMEAN THESE AREPEOPLE LIVINGBELOW THE POVERTYLINE; IT'S TYPICALLYPEOPLE WHO DON'THAVE ROOM IN THRDGET AT CERTAINPOINTS IN TIME.RACHEL HAS FOUNDTHE PROGRAM TO BEEXTREMELY USEFULFOR THIS REASON."IT KIND OF FILLS INTHOSE SPACESWHERE I HAVE TOSPEND THE MONEYON MEDS ORTREATMENTS FORAPPOINTMENTCOPAYS, IT KIND OFTAKES THAT LITTLEPIECE THAT YOUDON'T HAVE FORGROCERIES OR FOODAND FILLS IN THOSESPOTS"MATIAS ALSO WORKSWITH FAMILIES WHOUSE FOOD STAMPSAND COMMUNITYFOOD PANTRIES BUTSAYS IT'S NOTALWAYS ENOUGH."IN FOOD STAMPS,FAMILIES CANT GETEXTRA JUSTBECAUSE THEY HAVEAN ADDITIONALNUTRITIONAL NEED,SO THAT'S A GREATAND FIXEDRESOURCE BUT IT'SJUST NOT ENOUGHTHEY RECEIVED AGRANT IN 2018 FORMORE DATACOLLECTION ANDPARTNERING WITHNON-PROFITS TOBATTLE FOODINSECURITY.FOR FOOD, THECLINIC PARTNERSWITH THE ST LUKESCHILDRENSADMINISTRATION ANDTHE W.

FISHFOUNDATION.

DIXIEAND KIMBERLY FROMTHE CLINIC ARE ALSOON A NATIONALCOMMITTEE TOTACKLE FOODINSECURITY AROUNDTHE NATION FOR C-FPATIENTS.REPORTING INSTUDIO JESSICATAYLOR