From the Spring 2026 UVA-HTC Hoos News Publication
Have you met the new UVA – HTC Pediatric Dietician, Lucy Hackemer? She started in February and is already making a difference. Lucy recently completed her master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics at Virginia Tech and her undergraduate work at University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She will be splitting her time between the Hematology and Oncology Clinic and servicing acute inpatient pediatric patients. If you require inpatient care, Lucy will follow your case and provide follow-up while you are in the hospital.
You may meet Lucy at your annual clinic visit since she is part of the comprehensive team. You can also reach out to her through MyChart if you have questions about nutrition. She will get back to you through the MyChart messaging system if it is a simple question or guide you to next steps if more follow-up is needed.
Everyone has to eat, but Lucy is excited to help children and families understand how nutrition can greatly impact their health and how they feel throughout the day. She says, “Small tweaks to your habits toward eating more intentionally can really improve how you feel physically and mentally.”
While Lucy’s experiences in the hospital give her a broader understanding of how young patients and their families navigate difficult health problems, she is most excited about building relationships with the kids in the clinic. She looks forward to seeing the kids’ progress as they succeed and grow from year to year. Lucy has a boxer named Hansen who she loves to take on long walks. Hansen is 9 years old though, so he sometimes gets tired before the walk is over. She says he vacillates between being a high energy dog and a lazy dog! But, she loves him either way.
