A 12-year-old girl who battled an aggressive form of cancer is campaigning for improvements to the food provided to hospital patients in the UK. Audrina, from Derby, stated that while the medical care she received was excellent, the hospital meals were often disappointing, lacking flavor and essential nutrients needed for recovery.
Her petition urges the UK government to raise the standards of hospital food. Audrina was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2018 and is now cancer-free. She has also experienced hospital stays for cyclic vomiting syndrome, during which she observed that meal quality had not improved.
"The food is often lacking nutrition and it's important that patients have something to look forward to when they're going through a really tough time," Audrina said. "If you don't have the vitamins, minerals and proteins your body needs, it's going to slow your recovery down."
She recalled one instance of being served a shepherd's pie that was burnt and microwaved in its plastic packaging.
Audrina's mother, Gemma, supports her daughter's initiative, noting Audrina's long-standing dislike for hospital food. "We're just over 500 signatures but she's got to get to 100,000 [to be considered for Parliamentary debate] so there's a really long way to go yet," Gemma said.
To further her cause, Audrina has launched an Instagram series called "£1 meals," showcasing healthy and affordable meal options. Gemma explained that these videos aim to demonstrate that high-quality food does not necessarily require increased spending by hospitals. Audrina believes this series will provide tangible proof and evidence for her campaign.
Audrina suggests that hospitals could better utilize locally sourced produce and community support. She also proposed growing fruits and vegetables on hospital grounds to provide fresher food options.
Her campaign has garnered support from Jonathan Davies, the Labour MP for Mid Derbyshire. Davies expressed inspiration from Audrina's energy and experience, pledging to help convey her message to ministers. Audrina has already visited Parliament and hopes Davies can facilitate a discussion with the prime minister.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the importance of appetizing food that aids patient recovery. The department stated that national standards for nutrition, safety, and quality already apply to hospital food in England and welcomed input from campaigners like Audrina on improving meals, particularly for young patients.