Feeding Tube Awareness Week 2024

Did you know that Nestlé has a business dedicated to medical nutrition and tube feeding products??

To mark Feeding Tube Awareness Week (4-10th?February 2024), Nestlé Health Science is raising awareness of the importance of tube feeding by sharing stories from their community to encourage people to talk about their experience.?

Mila, age 7, has Dystonic Cerebral Palsy and is tube fed but it doesn't limit her day to day life.

“Even with being fed via a feeding pump for 17 hours a day, Mila has the independence to play and experience everything that other children do. In her pump free hours, Mila has been able to enjoy roller coasters, ice skating, swimming, soft play and lots more. I don’t let her feeding tube hold her back, we still travel the world even if it comes with a lot of luggage.”?

Food plays an important role in everyone's life, yet it's something most of us take for granted. Tube feeding is the process of supplying nutrients to people who are unable to eat or drink orally. ?The feeding tube is a thin flexible tube that passes through the nose to the stomach or directly into the stomach. But nearly a third (32%) of people in the UK have never heard of the term ‘tube feeding’ – according to a survey of 2,000 UK adults run by Talking Tube Feeding in January 2023. Raising awareness about tube feeding and common misconceptions is therefore incredibly important.?

Gordon Yule , Managing Director of Nestlé Health Science said:?

“I am really proud to work directly with healthcare professionals in our NHS and help make a difference to people’s lives by offering a range of specialist tube feeds.?

Nestlé Health Science has more than 30 years of experience of developing specialist tube feed formulas and understands just how challenging someone's tube feeding journey can be. ?We have a range of feeds with tolerance at the heart of each and every product. Our?aim is to help people minimise the time feeling unwell and get back to what they love doing the most, whether that’s taking part in sports, going to work or having relationships just as anyone else would.”?

From educating those who haven’t heard of tube feeding or don’t know what’s involved, to helping families or friends support individuals who tube feed, the Tube Feeding Awareness Week campaign hopes to spark new conversations and promote greater knowledge about tube feeding.?

Eloise has Intestinal Malrotation and is fed into her intestine, she says;

“I wish people knew that despite having a feeding tube I can be in a happy relationship and get married and have a successful, stable career. I don’t share my tube feeding journey for sympathy, but to give others hope, because we can be happy and live long, healthy lives just like everyone else!”?

Learn more about the work Nestlé Health Science does here: www.nestlehealthscience.co.uk/talking-tube-feeding/support/feeding-tube-awareness-week-2024