EVERYONE HAS A FAVORITE FAMILY RECIPE— that delicious entrée, salad, side dish, or dessert that Mom or Grandma used to make but no one else could ever truly replicate. Like precious heirlooms, these cherished recipes are passed from generation to generation within the family but often kept secret from outsiders.
Recently, employees of The Toledo Clinic Cancer Centers and other offices throughout The Toledo Clinic’s network, agreed to lift the veil of secrecy from their beloved family recipes, put them together in a cookbook, and share them with the entire community in support of a vital local nonprofit organization—The Cancer Care Alliance Foundation.
John Stout, executive director of The Toledo Clinic Cancer Centers and a board member of The Cancer Care Alliance Foundation, recalls how the cookbook project came into being: “Members of human resources and our oncology team were meeting over food, and during that meeting, everyone was talking about their favorite recipes. Afterward, the HR folks went back and put together the idea of a cookbook. They said they’d like to take on the initiative and give all the proceeds to the Foundation. As a member of the Foundation’s board, I was thrilled to have that opportunity.”
Jessica Syrek, an HR specialist at The Toledo Clinic, adds, “When the cookbook idea came up, we agreed that if we’re going to do it, we should do it for a good cause. Why not do it for the Foundation? We all know someone that has been impacted with cancer in some capacity, and the Foundation’s support makes it possible for patients and their families to focus on treatment, healing, and recovery rather than on how they’re going to pay their bills.”
Stout explains that the mission of The Cancer Care Alliance Foundation is to provide funding for the non-medical needs of cancer patients during treatment to help alleviate their financial concerns. Rent or mortgage payments, utility bills, car payments, child care or elder care, groceries, and transportation to and from appointments are just some of the expenses the Foundation can help defray. The cookbook, titled Spoonful of Hope, features over 400 recipes along with a contributors’ index, cooking tips, a spice and herb guide, and a serving guide that helps readers determine how much food to serve for gatherings of varying sizes. There are also pages for The Toledo Clinic Cancer Centers and The Cancer Care Alliance Foundation spotlighting the critical work both organizations do.
Syrek notes that recipes came in from employees all throughout The Toledo Clinic's network as well as from The Cancer Care Alliance Foundation. “I was proud to have several of my recipes published,” she says. “One of them was my mom’s recipe for sausage gravy, which is my son’s favorite. Over the years, I’ve tried to make her gravy, and occasionally I put something different in. He always calls me on that. Another recipe I submitted was for minty brownies, which is my daughter’s favorite.”
Stout is gratified that Spoonful of Hope is already selling briskly and continues to grow in popularity. As of this writing, over 200 copies of the cookbook have sold. “It’s been a huge success in the short term, and it’s for a good cause. I refer to the cookbook as a homegrown idea because everything in it came from folks right here in Northwest Ohio,” he states.
Spoonful of Hope sells for just $20, and all proceeds go directly to The Cancer Care Alliance Foundation. Cookbook purchases can be made through the QR code that appears on this page or at tinyurl.com/355af2z8. Those who don’t wish to purchase a cookbook but would still like to donate to The Cancer Care Alliance Foundation can do so by using the same QR code or TinyUrl link. ✲
