To mark Dietitians Week 2024, we sat down with senior specialist dietitian in oncology and palliative care Dove Yu and asked her a few questions about her inspirational journey.
Dove initially completed a BSc in Food and Human Nutrition at Newcastle University in 2017 with a year of placement at MRC (Medical Research Council) Human Nutrition Research.
But she kickstarted her career as dietitian by securing a PG Diploma in Dietetics at Leeds Beckett University, which included three clinical placements.
Armed with a wealth of knowledge and experience, she started her journey with South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as a placement student in 2019.
Dove said: “A dietitian interprets the science of nutrition to improve health and treat diseases and conditions by educating and giving practical, personalised advice to clients, patients, carers and colleagues.
“We advise and help patients to maintain nutritional status when individuals want to trial dietary interventions such as exclusion diets, nutritional supplementation or dietary interventions.”
Helping people through my favourite thing – food
Dove chose to be a dietitian because she loved helping people through her favourite thing: food.
She also has a very heartfelt story behind opting for a career as a dietitian.
She said: “I witnessed my dad losing 80lbs and reversing his diabetes when I was a kid using dietary and exercise interventions with the help of a dietitian.
“Communication plays a big part in the nutrition consultation rather than actual hands-on jobs. Dietetics research is highly evolving, and it is a diverse field with lots of future opportunities.”
Part of an inspiring and innovative dietitian team
The Northallerton resident has always felt supportive working with a group of fabulous, inspiring and innovative dietitians and the wider multi-disciplinary team.
She added: “We look after and support each other not only at work but also outside work.
I felt valued being part of a collaborative and healthy work environment alongside motivated and goal-oriented colleagues and managers.”
Dove strongly believes her job is very rewarding as she gets to witness her patients improving their nutritional status and recovering from cancer, whilst helping patients with palliative diagnosis doing what they wish in their life.
“Making a difference in a patient’s life is such a blessing. Sometimes a simple smile and thank you from a patient can make my day,” said Dove.
Importance of her role
Everyone agrees that dietitians play an important role in helping a patient overcome their illness. As Dove points out: “A patient living with oesophageal cancer may experience swallowing difficulties and may require surgery and intensive chemoradiotherapy.
This is where my team of amazing dietitians is crucial in optimising their nutrition and hydration to get better treatment response and support recovery through food-based advice, supplement and/or enteral feeding.”
Wearing many hats
Whilst not out and about on wards devising nutritional plans for our most unwell patients, Dove is also the public relations officer for the BDA’s (British Dietetic Association) older people specialist group and social media officer for BDA’s oncology specialist group.
She has also applauded her dietitian team for launching a new public health resource “Eating, drinking and ageing well” as part of the BDA older people specialist group. The resource is aimed at challenging the norms that it is more health-protective for older people to be slightly overweight.
Dove said: “Anyone aspiring to become a dietitian can visit the official BDA website to find out more information.
Moreover, our dietetic team is also very eager to improve our services and patient care. So, if you would like to know more about what we do or work with us, please contact us by either emailing [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected].”