Self    Defense Awareness

Lymphedema is a chronic disease that causes the lymphatic vessels to shut down and cause retention of  protein rich lymph fluid to build up in the limbs resulting in extreme swelling, pain.and even death if left untreated.  

Lymphedema is recognized as one of the most feared side effects of cancer treatment and yet most people don’t know anything about it.  World Lymphedema Day is a day of observance and proclamation, a day on which the entire lymphedema community can take action to raise awareness of this under-recognized condition and the people who live with it every day.

World Lymphedema Day is observed on March 6 of every year and has been chosen as a day to draw attention to the problem of lymphedema, whether it is primary or secondary, cancer-related or not. How you choose to make your voice heard in your community is up to you.

If you have lymphedema, or work with lymphedema patients, this is a day for you to place an article or letter to the editor in your local paper, or contact your local television and radio stations ahead of time and ask for coverage in respect of this North American Lymphedema Awareness Day. If you have a blog, then write about it.  If you bump into friends and professional colleagues, talk about it. Many patients don’t like to talk about their lymphedema, but if you talk about it all day this one day of the year you can choose not to talk about it the rest of the year.

Take a stand and support the Lymphedema Treatment Act during the month of March