Summer 2026
By Stevie Snow
Photography by Theresa Johnson Herlihy
Too many people with cancer worry about where their next meal will come from. Various factors contribute to food insecurity, such as high living costs and losing income during treatment. To address this urgent need, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute opened an on-site food pantry in the Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Research Laboratories building in January and celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in March.
The aptly named Dana-Farber Food Basket launched with generous support from Stop & Shop, starting with a $1 million gift and then an additional $500,000 from the supermarket chain for ongoing operation and expansion. The pantry, which reflects the shared commitment of Dana-Farber and Stop & Shop to address food insecurity and advance health equity, stocks foods that meet various dietary needs and cultural backgrounds. There are also options that may be easier to eat during treatment, adding to the total care of every patient.
With continued donor support, the pantry will be a reliable source of nutritious foods that help patients focus on healing. The impact will also extend beyond New England, serving as a model for cancer centers worldwide to include food access in holistic, patient-centered care.
From left to right: Anne Gross, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Dana-Farber, Benjamin L. Ebert MD, PhD, president and CEO of Dana-Farber, Deborah Toffler, senior director of patient care services at Dana-Farber, and Roger Wheeler, president of Stop & Shop.