Mar 5, 2026 | Faces of HDGH
In recognition of Nutrition Month, Mairi Lenover, Registered Dietitian (RD) at HDGH, shares her journey and perspective on the impact food and nutrition has with patient care. From supporting recovery to providing comfort at end of life, nutrition plays a meaningful role at every stage of a patient’s journey.
The theme for Nutrition Month 2026 is “Nourish to Flourish”, a philosophy that, in the words of JP Cody-Cox, CEO of Dietitians of Canada, “reflects the heart of what dietitians do: support people, communities, and systems with compassion and evidence-based expertise”. This is the time of year when Registered Dietitians, myself included, consider why we find our work so meaningful.
I’m often asked what drew me to this career path. I remember reading ingredient lists as a little kid, while eating my breakfast cereal each morning. I later learned, around age 13 or 14, that I could turn my love of label reading into a real job! I loved my home economics classes in high school, where we learned practical strategies on planning and preparing simple, budget-friendly, well-balanced meals. Those classes introduced basic nutrition concepts that I continued to explore during my undergraduate studies at Mount St. Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology (General Dietetics).
I completed my dietetic internship at the Regina General Hospital in Regina, Saskatchewan. A work opportunity in my hometown of Chatham brought me back to Ontario and closer to my family. I pursued opportunities in home care, public health, clinical research with a family medicine practice and part-time work in Long Term Care. In an effort to broaden my skill set, I applied for and accepted a position at HDGH in 2018.
The HDGH values of kindness, teamwork, expertise and social responsibility resonated with me and HDGH instantly felt like “home”. I spent 5 years working in Ambulatory Care at HDGH, primarily in the Geriatric Assessment Program, and provided coverage in the Cardiac Wellness Program and the Bariatric Assessment and Treatment Centre. During my time in Ambulatory Care, I had the great fortune to learn from experts in many disciplines. My colleagues provided compassionate and professional care to all and each inspired me to continually learn and develop my expertise.
Two and a half years ago, I moved to a full-time position, covering Complex Medical Care and Palliative Care on 3N and 3S in the Emara building. I see every day how therapeutic nutrition interventions can optimize healing, repair and recovery — enhancing the work of our therapy teams alongside the skilled nursing care and medical support our patients require. We help patients with diabetes improve their protein intake while supporting good glycemic control. We also provide nourishing and comforting foods to patients at end of life. With the support of my manager and my RD teammates, I feel privileged to provide nutrition care to patients during their stay at HDGH.
I have often reflected on how my practice has changed over the years. All new grads probably experience the enthusiasm of wanting to share our newly found knowledge and confidence with anyone who will listen. With age comes a little bit of wisdom, gleaned from our lives and our patient experiences. We get better at asking patients “what do you need?”, “how can I help you?”, “what is important to you?”, or “what information can I help you find?”, rather than assuming what they need to know. Nutrition education works best when Registered Dietitians really listen to their patients’ answers to the above questions.
Food and Nutrition Services at HDGH work to ensure the nutrition needs of our patients are met while respecting their personal values in our food service and clinical nutrition practices. We provide face-to-face opportunities for patients to make meal choices with the assistance of diet office staff. We look forward to upcoming innovations in meal selection using new technology - stay tuned for more details! Our meals are planned and created with care and attention by our expert food service staff and delivered with a friendly smile by our tray carriers. Every interaction a patient has with a member of our department is an opportunity to provide patient-centred care. I can say without exception, the patient experience is enhanced by tasty and appealing meals, that align with each person’s goals.
Food is not just about “counting macros” or “biohacking”. Pause for a moment to remember the sights, sounds and aromas of favourite meals, prepared for celebrations and milestones in our lives. Food is an expression of tradition, values, culture and love. Food choices that promote wellness and self-care are best achieved by recognizing what is important to our patients. As Registered Dietitians, we work to help all our patients develop a positive relationship with food and flourish within our facility and beyond. I am truly lucky to be a part of the patient experience.