A L B E R A T S A S O L C Y I M P H E D A T I O N E M A PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE BY DIANE MARTIN On January 20th, 2014 Alberta became the first province in Canada to gain publicly funded treatment coverage for all lymphedema patients. All of our hard work and advocacy that ALA has been doing finally came to fruition with the opening of a lymphedema clinic in Calgary. The Calgary Ambulatory Lymphedema Service (CALS) opened their doors to treat their first patient. As of February 7, they have 30 patients registered. The clinic is located at the Sheldon Chumir Health Centre in downtown Calgary, and the service will be open 4 days a week to serve patients 16 years and older. The service is able to treat approximately 20 patients per week. The clinic will offer patients lymphedema treatment to reduce swelling and decrease the risk of infection which includes manual lymph drainage, compression therapy (bandaging), patient education, exercises and skin care better known as Complete Decongestive Therapy. Southern Alberta patients who have lymphedema as a result of cancer or its treatment will continue receiving care through the Tom Baker Cancer Centre’s Rehab and Lymphedema Program at the Richmond Road Diagnostic and Treatment Centre. Patients under the age of 16 will continue to be provided care for lymphedema at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. In Edmonton, adult primary and non cancer lymphedema patients are treated at the Community Rehabilitation Interdisciplinary Service (CRIS) program and cancer lymphedema patients still go to the Cross Cancer Institute. The new lymphatic imaging suite that will be built at the University of Calgary (thanks to the generous donation of five million dollars from the Kipnes family) is testing equipment. Dr. von der Weid has told me that they are in the process of testing microscopes at the moment to see which would be the best for the lymphatic imaging suite. ALA will keep you up to date on what is happening there. The provincial advocacy group is busy sharing important information across the country to ensure that all patients in Canada receive the required treatment. I am pleased to say that ALA has been able to share the documents that we have all ready produced to help connect the other provincial associations with the Government officials that can help. Our hope is that we have paved the road for all the other provinces to succeed. We will help the other provinces in any way that we can and our association will continue to advocate for all patients in Alberta. I would like all of you to send me any suggestions as to what you would like to see in the Pathways magazine. If you have any hints and tips I would like to hear about those as well. This is your magazine so please let me know if there is something that you would like to read about. Alberta Lymphedema Association President: Diane Martin Directors 55 Brookpark Cres. SW Calgary, Alberta T2W-2W6 403-281-9205 Vice-President: Glenda Tetreau Anne Eastham Treasurer: Laureen Bowman Donna Leonard Secretary: Betty Schofield Theresa Storm www.albertalympedema.com Medical Advisor: Dr. D. Reuther Mayor Nenshi proclaims March 6, 2014 to be Lymphedema Awareness Day in Calgary, Alberta New Calgary Lymphedema Support Group Hello, my name is Simone Gerhards. I have been a physiotherapist for 20 years, originating from Germany. For almost 10 years now, I have specialized in Manual Lymphatic Drainage and 90% of my client treatments involve Complete Decongestive Therapy. Your ad Here Opportunities to advertise in this newsletter are now available. If you have a lymphedema service you would like to promote in our newsletter please contact us to place an advertisement. Email: [email protected] I moved to Calgary 5 years ago and my patients have continually asked me if I knew of any local support groups for lymphedema. I have tried to find support groups and have not been able to find any. After attending the national lymphedema conference in Toronto last year I took control and founded (for now just a Facebook group) the Calgary Lymphedema Support Group. On November 13, 2013 we had our first meeting with 12 people attending. I can’t emphasize enough what a success it was. After more than 3 hours of conversation and support the participants exchanged their email addresses and started to become supportive friends. We decided to meet every 3 months and so the next Calgary Lymphedema Support group meeting will be on February 19, 2014. For more information please contact Simone Gerhards MOMENTS Manual Lymphatic Drainage (403) 991 2675 or visit https://www.facebook.com/calgarylymphedemasupportgroup *The Alberta Lymphedema Association is not associated with this support group. WE ARE THE VOICE FOR LYMPHEDEMA Message from our Medical Advisor Dr. J.D. Ruether As a physician dealing with cancer patients, I am well aware of the challenges a patient with lymphedema deals with on a daily basis. In spite of the many wonderful advancements made in cancer treatment over the last several years, lymphedema continues to be a problem for a significant number of women who undergo surgery for breast cancer. Lymphedema can also affect any cancer patient where dissection of local nodes makes up an important part of the patient’s cancer staging and treatment. It is distressing to see a patient who not only has to deal with the issues of a cancer diagnosis, but also with the complications of our treatments, which can significantly impact a patients quality of life. Just as cancer treatment has improved, so have our abilities to deal with the side effects and complications of our treatments. Lymphedema is no exception. Increasingly, sentinel lymph node sampling is being used to stage nodal disease in several types of cancer, and this procedure is associated with a significantly lower risk of lymphedema. There are also a number of interventions, (physiotherapy, massage, compression garments, limb wrapping) which can be beneficial to the patient with lymphedema. Many of these tools are ones that patients can be taught to administer or use themselves. This can go a long way to improving a patients quality of life and independence. There are an increasing number of health care professionals with an interest in lymphedema and its treatment. The probability that we will be able to lessen the incidence of lymphedema in patients with cancer and deal more effectively with the condition in those who suffer from it is great in the coming years. I am optimistic that the situation for our patients who are at risk and those who already suffer from lymphedema will improve. As a patient, you can help yourself by becoming educated about lymphedema and learning from the health professionals involved in your care about management strategies for lymphedema. I applaud those who have worked hard to put together this newsletter, in their efforts to educate patients and to lessen the impact lymphedema has on a patients day to day life. Sincerely, DR. J.D. Ruether We Need Your Support Become a Member Membership $25.00 Includes an annual subscription to Pathways magazine and our local insert or Make a Donation Please send a cheque made out to the Alberta Lymphedema Association 55 BROOKPARK CRES. SW CALGARY, AB T2W 2W6 Would you share your story about your life with lymphedema? Do you want to read about hints and tips in the Pathways Magazine.? Have you seen a physician who has helped you with your lymphedema? Contact us at 403-281-9205 2014 Alberta Certified Lymphedema Therapists Lenita Barrett, BA, RMT Calgary (403) 880-1470 [email protected] Denny Paccagnan, RMT Calgary (403) 216-8770 [email protected] Ian Soles, RMT Edmonton (780) 757-1043 [email protected] Susan Bocchinfuso, BScPT, CLT Calgary (403) 383-0394 [email protected] Karen Van Heyst , PT Calgary (403) 998-0244 [email protected] Mara Shular PT Edmonton [email protected] Naomi Dolgoy, OT, CLT Calgary [email protected] Jana White, RMT Calgary (403) 686-6936 [email protected] Francois Gagnon, CLT Calgary (403) 807-0984 [email protected] Simone Gerhards, RMT Calgary (403) 991-2675 [email protected] Charlene Laishley OT Calgary (403) 955-6052 [email protected] Manuela Mandi Hoffmann-Leible, RMT Calgary (403) 992-7870 [email protected] Deon Kruger OT, CLT Calgary (403) 393-0175 [email protected] Stephanie MacGregor BScPT, CLT Calgary (403) 476-2547 [email protected] If you are a certified lymphedema therapist please let us know so we can add you to our list. This list goes out to physicians and patients. Email: [email protected] Lisa Rummel, RMT Canmore (403) 678-2500 [email protected] Gwen Valentic-Morrison, RMT Didsbury (403) 335-9935 [email protected] Deborah D'Souza, RN, BA Edmonton (780) 616-8818 [email protected] Elke Kriegel, RMT Edmonton (780) 504-8517 [email protected] Leila Power, RMT Edmonton (780) 757-1043 [email protected] Lee Saunders, RMT Edmonton (780) 757-1043 [email protected] Lorna Boisson Bsc PT High Prairie (780) 507-2874 [email protected] Nadia Deenen PT Medicine Hat (403) 529-8851 [email protected] Michelle C. Snyder, RMT Medicine Hat (403) 580-0423 [email protected] Nicole Riou, RMT Sherwood Park (780) 467-8755 [email protected] Deva Mukkilla, CLT Vermilion (780) 853-3217 [email protected] Lymphedema Treatment Combined/Complete Decongestive Therapy 5 components of treatment: Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) Compression therapy Remedial exercises/home exercise program Meticulous skin care and maintenance Education: Self-management
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