Cooking For Cancer Patients TV Segment

This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to do a live TV segment – Cooking For Cancer Patients – on local news channel WTNH, an ABC-affiliated television station. I made Lentil Vegetable Farro Chard Soup, a soup I first made six years ago for a breast cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy.

I wanted to show people how to cook for cancer patients and provide inspiration to cook for and support cancer patients in their communities. There’s a lot of comfort that comes from knowing someone cares.

Just a little bit of our time can make the world of difference to someone else.

“Availability is a matter of choice and priority. We can make ourselves available to sit, listen, share, pray, offer assistance, or step in where God is calling us” – Tracey Fox

“What seems small and insignificant to us may be a life-changing event for someone else” – Joyce Meyer

This past year, I have been trying to focus on living a more purposeful life. Focusing on what’s important, not what’s urgent. Trying to stay focused on doing things that serve others and make some difference in this world.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate; to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The gifts in your life are best when they glorify God and encourage other people” – Joyce Meyer

Doing a live TV segment is completely going out of my comfort zone. But, knowing that the goal was to encourage other people to be more compassionate made it so much easier. I am trying to make a difference, hoping that more people will take a little bit of their time to help someone in need.

“Even if you have to ‘do it afraid,’ make the most of every opportunity God puts in front of you” – Joyce Meyer

I came across this question in the book Seize The Day by Joyce Meyer:

“What have you done that you believe in and are proud of?” 

This is not an easy question to answer. Like many people, I have spent much of my life doing “things” and being “busy.” What have I done with my time? Thinking back, I have wasted a lot of time. So, I am trying to be more purposeful with my time each day.

Today, I can answer this question as follows:

I am proud of the fact that I mustered up the courage to go on a live TV segment to try to inspire people to reach out to cancer patients in their community and show compassion, companionship and support. I believe there is a real need to show cancer patients we care, whether it’s cooking for them, driving them to doctor’s appointments, or just sitting by their side. It’s the fact you set aside time from your busy schedule to help that matters to people.

You can watch my segment on Cooking for Cancer Patients below. My host was Noelle Gardner, whose mother is a three-time breast cancer survivor.

After the segment was over, I shared the soup with the folks at WTNH, including Meterologist Sam Kantrow, who devoured it on the set.