AIL presents ‘Let’s sit down to eat’: a video talk focusing on nutrition as part of the treatment pathway for oncohaematological patients

September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, and AIL – the Italian Association against Leukaemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma is reaffirming its commitment by placing at the heart of the 2026 campaign a theme that is fundamental to patients’ wellbeing: nutrition. This is an aspect that accompanies every stage of the treatment journey and contributes significantly to quality of life.
This awareness has given rise to ‘Let’s sit down to eat: the importance of nutrition in oncohaematology’, the new video talk produced by AIL and available in the dedicated multimedia section on the Association’s website.
Leading the conversation is Aureliano Stingi, PhD, a molecular biologist and nutritionist, cancer researcher and science communicator, who speaks with:
• Hellas Cena, Full Professor and Specialist in Food Science and Clinical Nutrition – University of Pavia and ICS Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia;
• Rita Tavarozzi, Researcher at the University of Eastern Piedmont and haematologist at the Alessandria University Hospital;
• Fortuna Inserra, an onco-haematology patient and member of the AIL-FIL Patients’ Group.

Through a direct and accessible discussion, the video addresses one of the most sensitive aspects of the treatment journey: the relationship with food during illness. Nutrition, in fact, helps to sustain the body, promote better tolerance of treatments and preserve quality of life.
‘Caring for a person means looking at their health as a whole. - says Giuseppe Toro, National President of AIL - Even during treatment, nutrition takes on a significance that goes far beyond simply eating: it helps to support treatments, restore energy and reclaim a sense of everyday life that is often severely tested by the illness. With this new video talk, we aim to provide patients and their families with reliable, scientifically evidence-based information, and to reiterate that no one should have to face this journey alone. Being there for people also means providing practical tools to help them cope better with every stage of their treatment.»
The discussion addresses the key issues relating to nutrition in oncohaematology: from the importance of an early nutritional assessment to the management of the most common side effects of treatments, such as nausea, changes in taste, fatigue and loss of appetite. Ample attention is also given to providing accurate information, with a particular focus on common myths and diets lacking scientific basis that often circulate online.

The message that emerges is clear: there is no one-size-fits-all diet. Each patient has specific needs that must be assessed and supported by a multidisciplinary team, as part of a personalised care pathway capable of addressing not only clinical needs, but also emotional and relational ones. Regaining a balanced relationship with food means, in fact, regaining moments of normality, conviviality and well-being.

AIL’s commitment in this area is tangible and well-established; indeed, the Association was among the first organisations to promote services dedicated to nutrition in the field of haematology. Today, there are 19 AIL regional branches offering a free nutritional support service to patients and their families, with around 900 people supported each year throughout Italia. This is an initiative that AIL intends to strengthen and expand further across the country.
Informing, supporting and providing practical tools to those facing blood cancer means caring for the individual at every stage of their treatment journey. With “Let’s sit down to eat: the importance of nutrition in oncohaematology”, AIL renews this commitment, placing nutrition at the centre – a topic that is often underestimated but fundamental to the wellbeing and quality of life of patients and carers.
Watch AIL’s video talk “Let’s sit down to eat: the importance of nutrition in oncohaematology” at the following links:

https://www.ail.it/learn-about-the-disease/scientific-insights/september-haematological-cancer-awareness-month/let’s-sit-down-to-eat-video-talk


https://youtu.be/WyVItR10SbM

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