Henry Telenchana is the founder of Nourish Against Cancer, a student-led initiative focused on addressing food insecurity among cancer patients and families facing financial hardship during treatment.

Henry’s connection to cancer is deeply personal. When he was fourteen, his mother was diagnosed with cancer and began treatment. As her illness progressed, she became increasingly weak and unable to prepare meals as she once had. She began eating less and losing weight, while her inability to work placed additional financial strain on the family. During a time when nutrition was especially important, consistent access to food became more difficult.

After losing his mother to cancer, Henry carried that experience with him as he pursued medicine. Through cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and cancer outreach with the Mount Sinai Health System, he came to understand how cancer can affect far more than a patient’s medical care.

These experiences inspired Henry to create Nourish Against Cancer. The organization aims to work with healthcare organizations, food-access programs, community groups, and other partners to help cancer patients and families access reliable food support during treatment.

Henry’s mission is to help ensure that families facing cancer do not also have to face uncertainty about where their next meal will come from.

— Henry Telenchana
Founder, Nourish Against Cancer