Wit You Against Childhood Cancer is proud to launch Health Wit, which provides healthy, on-the-go snack and meal replacement options for families as they progress through a childhood cancer journey.
61% of parents report poor diet and nutrition during their child’s cancer treatment (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5066587/)
Despite sibling support being considered standard of care in pediatric oncology, no standardized nutrition program exists
“By talking to families, doctors, and dieticians, we realized that having healthy food available for the whole family was more of a challenge than most families realize,” said Matt Demzcko, Wit You board member and pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Yes, some families are fortunate to have meal trains, freezers full of lasagna, and the ability to grab a quick meal or snack, but the easy options often don’t provide balanced nutrition. Good nutrition is so important for maintaining energy levels, managing stress, and creating physical resiliency.”
Participating families receive a Health Wit Box delivered to their door twice a month. These boxes are free to the family and chock full of healthy snack and meal replacement options for the whole family.
Our brand partners emphasize high quality ingredients, and generally are plant-based, non-GMO alternatives to the highly accessible, empty calorie options found in hospital vending machines, fast food restaurants, and convenience stores. The boxes are individually curated with oversight from a licensed dietician for each family’s needs, ensuring maximum benefit at a time when eating healthy is a difficult but essential component of everyday life.
"No matter your personal or financial position, nutrition often becomes the last priority. You may not think you need it now, but trust us, having healthy snacks at your fingertips while you skip a meal at work or shuttling the kids to appointments or soccer games can be a game changer!" said Dana Esposito, board member and mom to Nicholas, who has been in remission since 2020.
Families are admitted into Health Wit on a rolling basis, with a 12-month commitment from Wit You. Each box includes a survey to provide feedback on the products, which allows us to improve the experience for all families and share valuable feedback with our partners.
We are grateful to our current nutrition partners – Untapped waffles, Thunderbird bars, Kate Farm nutrition shakes, Sustainable Snack granola, Lenka bars – and continue to seek new partners to support Health Wit.