By Manish Gupta, M.D., Managing Medical Director, Northeast Texas and DFW West Regions, and Texas Oncology Foundation Board Member

After 24 years as a medical oncologist at Texas Oncology, I’ve seen firsthand that cancer is never just a medical diagnosis. It triggers a cascade of emotional, financial, psychological, and logistical challenges that patients and families must navigate.

Through my own experience of caring for my father when he was diagnosed with cancer, it reinforced how much support patients truly need — and how often that support falls outside the clinic walls. I joined the Texas Oncology Foundation board of directors because of the impact it directly has on helping patients, survivors, and their families navigate the cancer experience.

Healing isn’t only about the pills and chemotherapy that fight the medical barriers of a cancer diagnosis. Along with social workers, the Foundation helps provide a holistic approach and ensure that patients and their families never feel alone.

The Foundation raises money and awareness so we can meet real, everyday needs – the ones people don’t always talk about until they’re overwhelmed. The Foundation provides financial assistance, transportation and lodging help, emotional support resources, and programs that reduce isolation.

In my role as chair of Texas Oncology’s patient experience initiative, we are identifying the gaps that patients and caregivers face daily. Cancer care is complex. Once treatment begins, people are overwhelmed by calls, instructions, and logistics. The Foundation helps fill those gaps by improving quality of life, addressing logistical and financial hardships, supporting survivorship, and creating nurturing programs that bring people together to reduce isolation and form community. When patients connect with others who truly understand, their anxiety decreases and their hope grows.

You see the Foundation’s impact most clearly at the annual Survive & Thrive Conference. The words “survive” and “thrive” take on real meaning when people rediscover who they are – not just “the person with cancer,” but their authentic selves. It also creates community.

At last year’s conference, I saw four women from four different places form a bond that carried them through their entire cancer journey. It’s powerful to see this community that’s been built where people can lean on each other. Not everyone around a patient may understand what they are going through, but people in that conference room do understand. That kind of connection is powerful and often life changing.

Even for those with a metastatic or terminal diagnosis, the presence of community and understanding is invaluable. The Foundation honors each person’s journey, regardless of their treatment path, and stands beside them as they make decisions for themselves.

The work of Texas Oncology Foundation is rooted in its three pillars of education, support, and outreach. By addressing the practical and emotional challenges that fall outside the clinic walls, the Foundation strengthens the patient’s experience and builds a community where people can find understanding, resilience, and hope. This is the heart of our mission – and the reason this work matters so deeply.

Behind every program, partnership, and patient-centered initiative at Texas Oncology Foundation is a board of directors committed to thoughtful stewardship. These leaders bring a wealth of cancer and community support expertise to ensure the Foundation remains strong, forward thinking, and grounded in its mission.

“The Foundation board provides guidance, direction, and support to the Foundation’s team,” said Ernie Sims, president, Texas Oncology Foundation. “I’m very proud of the work the Foundation has accomplished over the years. Its future is filled with possibility as it continues to assist patients and caregivers.”

Our board members:

• Ernie Sims, President
• Steve Paulson, M.D.
• Larry Frase, M.D., Secretary
• Kathryn Hudson, M.D.
• Manish Gupta, M.D.

Be sure to read the perspective from Dr. Gupta, our newest member, in this issue

Every year, Texas Oncology Foundation brings people together around one shared purpose – supporting patients, survivors, and caregivers. Our fundraising events aren’t just fun dates on a calendar. They are opportunities for connection and community impact. Each gathering helps ensure that patients and caregivers across Texas receive the emotional, financial, and practical support they need during one of the most challenging times of their lives.

Please join us for an upcoming event in your area.

Uncork to Support

• April 25, Houston
• November 13, San Antonio

Annual Golf Classic

• May 4, Dallas

Survive & Thrive Conference 

• September 18-20, Georgetown

Celebrate Life 5K

• October 3, North Texas (Benefiting cancer patients and families in Denton, Decatur, Flower Mound, and Castle Hills)
• October 4, Gulf Coast (in Webster, TX)
• November 14, Waco

Apex Driving Fundraiser

• December 14, Fort Worth

By Morgan Sanderson, RDN, CSO, LD, Oncology Certified Dietitian, Texas Oncology

Did you know that only about 5–7% of Americans meet the recommended daily intake of fiber? The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommends aiming for 30 grams of fiber per day. Fiber is a plant-based nutrient that provides many health benefits, including helping lower cholesterol, promoting fullness, supporting healthy blood sugar levels, maintaining regular digestion, and even reducing the risk of certain cancers.

Fiber is found primarily in fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains. The good news is that meeting your fiber needs doesn’t mean eating bland salads every day. There are plenty of simple and delicious ways to add more fiber to your meals.

Here are 5 easy ways to sneak in more fiber into your diet:

• Add 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed to yogurt, smoothies, and cereal = 3 grams of fiber
• Stir in 1 tablespoon of chia seeds into oatmeal = 5 grams of fiber
• Swap ½ cup of white rice for ½ cup brown rice = 2 grams of fiber
• Add ½ cup of beans to your soups, salads, or tacos = 7 grams of fiber
• Combine ½ cup of pureed lentils into soups and pasta sauce = 8 grams of fiber

Enjoying high-fiber snacks such as hummus, roasted chickpeas, popcorn, and apple slices will get you even closer to your fiber goal. Happy snacking!