About
Claire Evans is a Registered Yoga Teacher who has undertaken additional specialist training in oncology yoga. She holds a Bachelor of Health Science and has a professional background in cancer support and service improvement within the health system. Claire specialises in cancer-informed yoga for people living with and beyond cancer. Her approach is grounded in evidence, safety and compassion, recognising the complex physical, emotional and nervous system impacts of cancer and its treatment.
Claire has worked at Cancer Council Victoria, supporting people impacted by cancer, and currently works at Southern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Services as a Project Manager, Lived Experience, partnering with consumers and health professionals to improve cancer care. This experience informs a strong understanding of the clinical context, referral pathways and the importance of safe, supportive, person-centred care.
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Claire’s interest in oncology yoga is also informed by personal lived experience. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 43, an experience that prompted a shift in her professional focus toward supporting others affected by cancer. This perspective contributes to a teaching style that is deeply respectful of individual experience, uncertainty and vulnerability.
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Claire teaches yoga to people affected by cancer in hospital settings, cancer support organisations and private practice. Yoga sessions are offered as supportive care, complementing medical and allied health treatment. Practices are informed by contemporary research into yoga and mindfulness in oncology and are suitable for people during treatment, recovery and long-term survivorship.
How yoga helped me through breast cancer
Yoga was never something I was really drawn to but that changed when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. ​
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'I was constantly rushing. I had anxiety, slept poorly, needed coffee to get going in the mornings and alcohol to wind down in the evenings..'
​I was working full time with two daughters aged four and six. I was constantly rushing. I had anxiety, slept poorly, needed coffee to get going in the mornings and alcohol to wind down in the evenings. I constantly felt guilty for not being more available for my children and simultaneously for not having the capacity to commit more to work. Breast cancer forced me to take stock of my life. It also opened the door to yoga.
I started yoga to help my physical recovery after surgery and immediately connected with the practice. It felt good to move my body again, to feel energy move through me and start to regain my strength. I continued to reap the physical benefits of practice, however in the months that followed I found it was my emotional wellbeing that really improved with yoga. ​Finding yoga didn’t just help me recover from breast cancer. It helped me to forgive myself for trying to do it all, for being human.
Today I continue to practice yoga daily, it remains my constant guiding light when I experience periods of anxiety and fear of my cancer coming back.
My experience of yoga is not unique. Research assessing the impact of yoga on cancer patients has found consistent improvements in patient quality of life and biomarkers of stress, inflammation and immune function.
Yoga is not a cure for cancer, however it is a safe, evidence-based therapy which can be modified appropriately for people diagnosed with cancer, both in active and during recovery.
Finding peace in solitude
Practising yoga can be a deeply personal experience, catalysing change on an inner level that gradually permeates our external lives such that we begin to function from a higher state of being. In this place we are able to separate the essence our true self from the mind created self which helps us to overcome negative emotions such as fear, anger, sadness and resentment.
Practising yoga in a group can be a beautiful way to share the collective energy of participants and is something I recommend (including online yoga) however sometimes a quiet space is needed for a teacher to guide you through a tailored practice. I offer guided online group and private classes to support your unique needs and goals.
Yoga is for EVERY body
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Everyone can benefit from practising yoga. Modern day stressors impact our quality of life and can lead to serious chronic disease including cancer. Yoga helps to mitigate the effects of stress in the body. It's not about being super flexible or looking like someone on an Instagram post, but rather it is the connection between mind, body and spirit, and when these are in sync, that is where the magic happens.