Cook for Your LIFE

Oct 26, 2018

Former fashion consultant Ann Ogden Gaffney always enjoyed cooking — but two separate battles with cancer transformed her hobby into something larger. 

Going through chemo, surgery, and all their unpleasant side effects taught Gaffney a lot about the cancer-fighting process and how it affects what you eat. Not only can chemo therapy significantly alter your tastebuds, it affects what you’re able to eat or how you can prepare it. Fortunately, she also found that her cooking skills helped her navigate the complicated process.

Seeing fellow cancer patients struggle with their diets while going through treatment compelled her to host a cooking class with 15 breast cancer patients at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center. This led to the creation of Cook for Your LIFE.

Cook for Your LIFE provides cooking classes for cancer patients, caregivers and survivors. Gaffney and her team started their instruction through in-person cooking classes, but have expanded over the years to include online recipes, videos, a blog and a cookbook. Their tutorials include everything from healthy dishes to cooking basics to advice on more mindful eating.

The online recipes are curated for different meal types, dietary restrictions and health considerations like nausea. Readers can find recipes for every stage of their treatment, whether they’re just starting out or are in recovery. And although all of Gaffney’s recipes are health-conscious, they don’t skimp on flavor, helping patients realize that they don’t have to distance themselves from delicious meals while in treatment. 

More about Cook for Your LIFE and all of their resources can be found on their website. 

© 2018