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PUTNAM — Caitlyn Sward, registered dietitian in the Rose Bove LaRose Cancer Center at Day Kimball Hospital, was named employee of the month for July by Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH).
Sward began her career as a certified registered dietitian/registered dietitian nutritionist at Day Kimball Hospital in 2019 after graduating with a bachelor’s of science in dietetics from UConn.
In her role, Sward is responsible for providing nutrition counseling to cancer patients in the hematology/oncology department. Earlier this year, she obtained her Cancer Exercise Specialist certification and looks forward to providing exercise recommendations and personal training to patients receiving active treatment and those in remission. Sward also oversees Caitlyn’s Cupboard, a hospital-based food pantry she established in March of 2020 to address malnutrition and food insecurity among patients treated in DKH’s Cancer Center.
A northeastern Connecticut native, Sward was born at Day Kimball Hospital and currently lives in E. Putnam. She is a member of the QVR Rotaract Club and is an American Council on Exercise (ACE) Certified Personal Trainer, ACE and CETI Certified Cancer Exercise Specialist, ACE Youth Exercise Specialist, and an NASM MMA Conditioning Specialist. Sward is currently working towards becoming a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician and is pursuing board certification as a specialist in oncology nutrition. She also owns and operates Sward and Shield LLC, where affordable, inclusive nutrition counseling and physical activity services are provided to those living in northeastern Connecticut.
Day Kimball Healthcare’s employee of the month program is sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket.
When asked what she likes most about her job, she said: “The tangible effect I can have on patients. In many positions throughout the field, dietitians are often left feeling like second-rate healthcare professionals. This job is different – not only does my role actively impact the course of treatment, but patients often want my expertise. A cancer diagnosis is overwhelming and sends people on a journey that they have limited control over; nutrition is one of the only things they still have autonomy over and it’s an amazing feeling to help empower patients to take back a bit of control in an otherwise overwhelming experience. It’s not just the patients that make this job enjoyable, but the people that I work with make me feel valued and knowledgeable. Being able to make a difference in the lives of patients while also being respected by your peers is something I could only dream of prior to getting this job.”
The Employee of the Month program is sponsored by the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket.
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