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A mother who used nutritious, home-made meals to help nurse her cancer-stricken son back to health is now teaching other parents the cooking skills that will give their own cancer-suffering children strength.
At Medstar Georgetown University Hospital's pediatric oncology clinic, where her son Fabien battled stage 3 Hodgkins lymphoma a decade ago, Danielle Cook Navidi's nutrition classes have become so popular that other hospitals are now looking to implement a similar program.
Mrs Navidi, who has just published the book, Happily Hungry: Smart Recipes for Kids with Cancer, told the Today show: 'Food has an amazing healing quality to it. It allows parents to feel like, "I can really do this. I can help heal my child."'
Healing food: Danielle Cook Navidi used nutritious, home-made meals to help nurse her cancer-stricken son, Fabien, back to health a decade ago
While Fabien was undergoing cancer treatment, he faced surgery, chemotherapy and radiation which devastated his body.
Keeping up his strength was an everyday battle, and doctors' advice was to let him eat junk food because he needed as many calories as possible.
'They said let him eat McDonald's, junk food,' said Mrs Navidi. 'They said he needs the calories. If that means french fries and fast-foods, "do it".
Health book: Mrs Navidi has just published the book, Happily Hungry: Smart Recipes for Kids with Cancer, which teaches other parents the cooking skills that will give their own cancer-suffering children strength
Helping for health: At Medstar Georgetown University Hospital's pediatric oncology clinic, where Fabien battled stage 3 Hodgkins lymphoma ten years ago, Mrs Navidi's nutrition classes have become a fixture
What to cook? Coming up with healthy, nutrious meals that her son Fabien would actually want to eat, motivated Mrs Navidi to go back to school and get a master¿s degree in nutrition
Skeptical of the merits of feeding Febien processed food, she said their advice made no sense to her.
'I went back to the basics,' she said. 'II went back to good homemade chicken broth. And it worked.'
Coming up with healthy, nutrious meals that Fabien would actually want to eat, motivated Mrs Navidi to go back to school and get a master’s degree in nutrition.
Food for cure: Since she started teaching parents of children with cancer about nutrition and how to prepare foods that will aid in treatment and recovery, Mrs Navidi has become exceptionally popular at the clinic
Grateful parents: The parents whose children are being treated for cancer at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital say that Mrs Navidi's program has helped them feel empowered
Since she started her cooking classes, teaching parents of children with cancer about nutrition and how to prepare foods that will aid in treatment and recovery, Mrs Navidi has become a fixture at the clinic.
Dr. Aziza Shad, chief of pediatric oncology at the hospital, said: 'I truly believe that cancer, you cannot take care of in isolation. It’s critical for them to eat right.'
The parents whose children are being treated for cancer at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital say that her program has helped them feel empowered.
Battling cancer: Fabien was treated for stage 3 Hodgkins lymphoma a decade ago
Great mom: Mrs Navidi (pictured with Fabien) shares her culinary wisdom and first-hand knowledge by creating delicious recipes dedicated to children undergoing cancer treatment and recovery
Amy Kress, whose six-year-old son Peter has been treated at the clinic, said: 'It made me feel like a better mom. It made me feel like I could take care of my son when he needed me.'
And Dermot Tatlow, whose son Devon has been treated at the clinic, explained: 'I can give him love, I can give him food, and that was really important. Then when he liked the food, that was even better.'
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