Who does the Fund support?
Funding is available for individuals whose insurance does not cover nutritional
support and counseling while undergoing treatment at the Yolanda G. Barco
Oncology Institute.
For more information, please contact: Betsy Brown, Director of Oncology
Services, 814-333-5215
Support Nourishing Recovery: The LouAnn Flick Memorial Fund by making a
tax-deductible online donation.
Who was LouAnn Flick?
For Louise Ann (LouAnn) Flick, nourishing others was truly a way of life.
Whether it was nourishment from food cooked with love, her contagious
smile, or her heartfelt and empathetic words, she exemplified the meaning
of selflessness, constantly putting the feelings and needs of others before
her own, no matter what the circumstance. She had a genuine concern for
others, especially those who were facing tough times.
LouAnn graduated from Seton Hill College in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts
in Dietetics. She completed her Master's Degree in Dietetics from
Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1996. She worked for 35 years as
a Territory Business Manager and was a Registered Dietician, working with
infant health care professionals to address the nutritional needs of children
from infants to toddlers.
In 1996, LouAnn was diagnosed with breast cancer and after surgery, chemotherapy,
and radiation, it went into remission a year later. She was cancer free
for 13 years until being diagnosed with primary peritoneal cancer (a form
of ovarian cancer) in 2010. After four courageous years of treatment and
surgeries, LouAnn passed away on December 13, 2014 at home surrounded
by her family. Including her husband, Alan, and children, Amanda (Andrew),
Mike (Lauren), and Alex.
The mantra LouAnn lived by and often shared with others was to "control
the controllables." She believed that we are all faced with many
trials and hardships in life but to stress about things over which we
have no control is not time well spent. A major controllable factor in
a person's life is their nutrition and what they feed their body.
This was a passion for LouAnn and she spent time speaking to many local
groups including scouting troops and high school sports teams about the
importance of eating a healthy and balanced diet.
In addition to speaking publicly about the importance of nutrition, she
was dedicated to being a resource for those who were dealing with a cancer
diagnosis and treatment. She was an active member of the Looking Ahead
Breast Cancer Support Group, sharing her experiences and insight during
meetings and in conversations with group members outside of the meetings
as well. She was a listening ear for all those who were scared and unsure
of what their diagnosis would bring, both on topics related to nutrition
and otherwise.
Even while facing her own treatments, she focused her energy on offering
support and encouragement to those who were fighting an illness of their
own. She was always so grateful for the support and love of the members
of the Looking Ahead Breast Cancer Support Group and made it her mission
to provide the same reassurance and hope to those who had little.
LouAnn's family is indebted to the dedicated professionals at the Yolanda
G. Barco Oncology Institute, Meadville Medical Center, and Hospice of
Crawford County for the compassionate, attentive, and expert care she
received. Meadville is truly blessed to have these organizations as part
of the community. Nourishing Recovery, The LouAnn Flick Memorial Fund
was established to support two of LouAnn's passions - supporting cancer
patients undergoing treatment and nutrition. Proper nourishment can have
a significant impact on a patient's well-being and quality of life
while undergoing treatment. The nutrition counseling offered to patients
through the dieticians at the Mind-Body Wellness Center is an excellent
resource for patients to receive advice and support for making good nutritional
decisions during and after treatment.
LouAnn's warmth and kindness will live on through the counseling the
fund makes possible - nourishing cancer patients as they travel the path
to recovery.