How L.S.A.P Changed My Life

Lymphedema. Do you know what it is? I didn’t. Not until after searching for a year for information about this swelling that my infant son had. Austin was about 1 year old when I finally got him in to see a certified Lymphedema therapist. Through my internet research I was fortunate to stumble onto the National Lymphedema Network (NLN) website. This is where I was able to find a lot of valuable information.

While perusing the site in early 2008, I noticed the application form for the Lymph Science Advocacy Program (LSAP). Up until this point, I really wasn’t doing any kind of advocacy work and to be quite frank, I didn’t think anyone cared about Lymphedema. Applying, and then being accepted to the LSAP, was the starting point of my Lymphedema advocacy road that I am now travelling.

The program itself was intense and as I have no healthcare background, I wondered how I could possibly get anything out of it. Let me tell you I did get a lot out of it and it was time and money well spent.

My eyes were opened to a whole new community. A community that cares about the patients, that cares about advancing research. A community full of healthcare professionals that are devoting their time and energy to help people with Lymphedema. It was an opportunity to meet other LSAP participants and discuss and share information about their situations.

To be part of a group who all have the same goal; to gain valuable information about Lymphedema and to be able to share this information with others in our home communities, to raise awareness and make a difference. It was an amazing experience and I’m so happy that I was one of the select few that had the opportunity to take part in it.

It was through my participation in the LSAP that my focus turned to how I could help others and raise awareness about this condition: this condition called Lymphedema, that it seemed few had even heard of. I am just one person, and on this road of Lymphedema advocacy, a lot of the time that is exactly what it feels like you are all alone.

But even being one person,

• I’ve been successful in getting our local papers to print articles about Lymphedema.
• I’ve been able to obtain March 6, 2010, Lymphedema Awareness Day Proclamations from 41 Manitoba Municipalities and from the Province of Manitoba, Department of Health.
• I’ve participated in Lymphedema Stakeholder meetings, attended numerous Lymphedema conferences, both national and international.
• I was a Lymphovenous Association of Ontario’s 2009 conference presenter and I participate in monthly Canada-wide Lymphedema conference calls.
• I’m working on getting the Lymphedema Association of Manitoba off the ground and now I’m also a Canadian Lymphedema Framework Advisory Board member.

I encourage you to start your journey down the road of Lymphedema advocacy and begin by applying to be an LSAP participant.

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Category: Living well with Lymphedema