The Lympha Press Podcast

June is both Wound Care Awareness Month and Lipedema Awareness Month, and the panelists and attendees at the Lymphedema Patient Roundtable had a lot to talk about along with additional topics such as compression garments, medical pedicures, and staying cool in the summer heat. What causes wounds? How can lymphedema patients prevent them? And if you do develop wounds, what can you do to treat them?...

Leslyn Keith started out as an occupational therapist but was seeking a focus that yielded more measurable results. “I am left-brain oriented and nebulous results weren’t satisfying to me,” she says in this insightful interview. As fate would have it, she was soon introduced by a mentor to lymphedema therapy and knew she was going to devote herself to helping these patients. “I could see their lim...

A patient whose breast cancer led to lymphedema changed the course of physical therapist  Lisa Sylvestri ’s career focus: “My goal is that every cancer patient be given a chance to live their best life,” she says. Part of fulfilling this mission was becoming a certified lymphedema therapist and opening Oasis Physical Therapy and Wellness in the San Francisco Bay Area. To her fellow clinicians, she...

With five seasons and over 100 episodes, the Lymphedema Podcast is a rich resource for both patients and clinicians alike. Founder Betty Westbrook, PTA, CLT, started the podcast because she wanted to be able to direct her patients to information they could listen to after they left her care. “It also kept me from repeating myself,” she says, jokingly. But it turned into so much more. Since the pod...

One of the Lipedema Patient Roundtable’s founding panelists Cheryl Scoledge, of the Facebook group Lipedema and Food Sensitivities , made a special guest appearance to add to the discussion about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) . A connective tissue syndrome that can also be prevalent in lipedema patients, it affects the skin, joints, and blood vessel walls, resulting in overly flexible joints and el...

Mental health is as important as physical health, especially when living with a chronic condition like lymphedema. In recognition of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, panelists and attendees at the Lymphedema Patient Roundtable opened up about their own mental health journeys and how they support their emotional well-being alongside their physical. Joining the panelists on the other side of...

“Love is the greatest ingredient in healing.” That’s just one of the gems from this insightful interview with  Karen Ashforth, MS, OTR, CLT-LANA . Giving hope as well as the tools to manage chronic conditions has been Karen’s mission for over 40 years. A problem solver at heart who enjoys coming up with “new recipes for treatment no one has thought of yet” makes her training sessions riveting. Her...

This special edition of the Lipedema Patient Roundtable was all about beating the post-conference blues! Joining our regular panelists were patient speakers from the Fat Disorders Resource Society (FDRS) Conference , including: Wyckham Avery ( @wyckhamavery ) Sarah Bramblette ( @born2lbfat ) Hiba Hamati ( @hibs800 ) Beth Rylaarsdam ( @curvygirlbeth ) Jenn Sephton ( @livingwithlippy_public ) From l...

The April Lipedema Patient Roundtable was jam-packed with information and inspiration as each anchor panelist shared their biggest takeaway from the recent Fat Disorders Resource Society (FDRS) Conference . Special guest Dr. Omar Beidas from Advent Health shared insights about lipedema surgery and answered questions about chronic venous insufficiency , BMI, and other factors when considering surge...

Spring has sprung, and the April Lymphedema Patient Roundtable was buzzing with questions from attendees on topics ranging from tips for donning garments, managing swelling after knee replacement surgery, and mobility aids for lower extremity lymphedema. Plus, Amanda Sobey gave an exciting recap of the Lymphedema Association of Manitoba 's celebrations — and wins — during Lymphedema Awareness...

Katina Kirby’s greatest wish is that she’ll be out of a job someday. “A day when there is a cure for lymphedema is the highest hope,” she says in this enlightening interview. Her career started as an occupational therapist, and when the opportunity arose for lymphedema therapist training, she raised her hand. Katina loved helping patients, though 25 years ago a lymphedema diagnosis was met with sk...

Dr. Mark Melin wanted to be an astronaut, and now he studies space as part of his groundbreaking work in lymphedema and wounds. Find out how his personal experience led to his profession, and be inspired by his fervor for patients to advocate for themselves. A call to join the American Vein & Lymphatic Society and a host of “shout outs” to people he is inspired by inform this captivating inter...

March is Lymphedema Awareness Month ! Every Lymphedema Patient Roundtable is about lymphedema awareness, but the March Roundtable was especially pumped with conversation around life with  lymphedema . The panel was joined by Steve Kantor, founder of Medical Solutions Supplier, and lymphedema patient and advocate Veronica Seneriz, who many know through her group,  Lymphie Strong , and her role as P...

It's Lymphedema Awareness Month and the Lipedema Patient Roundtablers were honored to welcome William Repicci , President and CEO of the Lymphatic Education and Research Network (LE&RN). The resources available through LE&RN for lipedema patients were discussed as well as how this important organization advocates for patients with all lymphatic disorders. A powerful moment was when Rep...

“I like putting puzzles together,” remarked Lymphatic Education & Research Network President and CEO William Repicci during this Lympha Press Leadership Series interview. His story is remarkable: From Alaska to Africa; a background in psychology and Broadway plays to his current role with Lymphatic Education and Research Network (LE&RN); every stop in his journey prepared him to be an effe...

In this installment of the Lympha Press Leadership Series , learn more about Kathleen Lisson, CLT , and how her desire to help reduce the side effects of her mother’s cancer led her first to massage therapy, then manual lymph drainage, and certification as a lymphedema therapist. A contributor to the Standard of Care for Lipedema in the United States and a prolific author, Lisson is fueled by curi...

Love is usually in the air at the Lipedema Patient Roundtable, but extra doses were served up with the addition of Kathleen Lisson , CLT, to the panel as a special Valentine’s guest. As one of the authors of the Standard of Care for Lipedema in the United States , she adeptly answered questions from the audience, including how to best deal with pain, what to look for when considering surgery, and...

Hearts weren't the only thing pumping at the Lymphedema Patient Roundtable this Valentine's Day: With Medical Solutions Supplier founder Steve Kantor at the virtual table, the conversation was pumped on the topic of pneumatic compression therapy! How can one ensure they get the most out of their treatment sessions with their pump? What's the difference between the pumps you see in the drug store o...

This recording is from February 2022. Can you feel the love? Attendees at the February Lymphedema Patient Roundtable sure did! In honor of February being the month of love, a few of our panelists brought along their special someones to talk about relationships and lymphedema . There wasn’t a dry eye onscreen as Kelly Bell ’s wife, Jen, described how adrift they felt when looking for answers and ho...

Plus size model and influencer Beth Rylaarsdam — known as CurvyGirlBeth online — tells her lipedema story and shares how she manages her condition and embraces the lipedema life. This interview was recorded in June 2020 You can watch the video recording of Beth's interview on the Lipedema Channel on YouTube , or on Instagram at @lympha_press . The Lipedema Channel interviews are brought to you by...

In this fascinating interview with American Vein & Lymphatic Society (AVLS) Executive Director Dean Bender, he recalls, “In 2004, most of our membership couldn’t spell lymphedema, let alone diagnose it.” Much has changed for the better since then, and Bender details how AVLS offers Advocacy , Research , and Education to its members. The role of the Foundation to fund mission-critical initiativ...

It took panelist Jenny Beaujean 45 years to get a diagnosis. May it never take anyone that long again! The Lipedema Patient Roundtable made good on its 2023 resolution by bringing in special guests to add leading-edge information to the monthly conversations. Guy Eakin , Chief Science Officer for Lipedema Foundation , answered questions about research initiatives and the Lipedema Patient Registry...

Happy 2023! The Lymphedema Patient Roundtable kicked off the new year by celebrating some major wins, from the passage of the Lymphedema Treatment Act into law to panelist Catherine Rosenberg's incredible progress after undergoing lymphovenous anastomosis surgery. Panelists and attendees shared the different ways they are committing to their lymphedema management and self-care in the new year, suc...

At the age of 21, Brandy McKeown was introduced to lymphedema therapy at a time when little was known about lymphedema. She says, “I fell in love… and we grew together.” And grow she did, running several clinics and, ultimately, becoming a co-owner and CEO of the International Lymphedema and Wound Training Institute (ILWTI). In this interview, Brandy, OTR/L, CLT-LANA, CLWT, shares how ILWTI was on...

The December Lipedema Patient Roundtable had a festive air as the regular panelists presented their "Secret Santa Poems" to each other and The Lippy Butterfly , Angelique Charles , moved us all with a rendition of Silent Night. In between? Plenty of lipedema conversation, including the juxtaposition of movement and mindfulness, and an enlightening discussion about obesogens, which are chemicals th...