Hi, I’m Yvonne.
I write to make sense of my journey with head and neck cancer while inspiring others to rebuild their lives after treatment. Through sharing my experiences of overcoming eating and identity challenges, I aim to help people find hope, motivation, and a renewed sense of purpose in their own stories.
As to the title of the publication, GAG.| eating life is an acronym for “good as it gets” and that’s pretty good given the alternative.
Welcome.
See what other subscribers have to say down below.
When you have gone through treatment there is a new language to learn. It is specific to those who have lived to tell the tale. No warriors here, but there is brutal honesty, motivation in spades and a sprinkling of humour to make those darkest moments a bit more bearable. A paid subscription gives you a bit more ROCK STAR status in that you can participate in the community, make comments and read the “fine print”.
Your paid subscription pays for my time and effort in preparing answers, writing articles, guest speaking and the creation of the podcasts.
For the clinicians amongst us, this is where you will likely find an answer to something you had not considered with food, eating, cooking and in my case applying lipstick.
You can also pay for a group at a discount - A group is 2 or more people.
AND if you are an educational institution a negotiable annual fee can be paid where by unlimited paid subscriptions can be applied to students with a special link.
Ask me how here yvonne@yvonnemcclaren.com
Never miss some Aussie humour, words with a “u” like colour, calling men blokes and using “S” not “Z”.
It is here at GAG. | eating life where I speak in tongues, I speak the language of HNC for food, travel and life.
Seriously, I just made that up.
But you get the idea.
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Here’s what others have said :-
Really enjoyed that and was "oh yesssing" all the way through. Especially in the sense of here's your PEG, you're on your own now.
Your podcasts are brilliant and so on point for us all
Yvonne’s knowledge of food, adaptability and cooking techniques have assisted her to transition from tube-feeding to a more normal oral diet and the lessons she learnt and the knowledge she can impart are a highly valuable resource for anyone embarking or recovering from head and neck cancer treatment.
Dr Andrew Foreman B. Physio, BMBS (Hons) PhD, FRACS Head and Neck Oncologic and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgeon ENTSA & Royal Adelaide Hospital
What is important is patient motivation and I think that’s where you’re venture is going to be important for patients. There is no reason why a patient needs a PEG for life. They need strategies to return to swallowing and progress back to an oral diet.
Keep on getting well Yvonne & thank you for sharing your story, it has been immensity helpful. Will touch base via Instagram when I'm feeling up to it, Cheers D
It has been inspirational and comforting reading your articles as some days I do just want to give in to a liquid diet. However I am a foodie and love cooking and eating good food!
I feel like I've been living in the dark till this year when I met my speechie and she's opened up a whole new world I was not aware of, including finding your articles.
Yes, it is real, talking, eating and breathing. Does the challenge make anyone else laugh? Because for me it's so true. And to see someone say it, made me laugh.
