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Lymphland International Lymphedema Online
August 1, 2010 - Network integrates traditional, alternative treatments - Lauren Yanks -
In 1992, Barbara Sarah was diagnosed with breast cancer. Along with standard treatments, the social
worker decided to explore all her health-care options.
"I began to look into things like Chinese herbs, acupuncture, and I also changed my diet in order to boost
my immune system," Sarah said. "It really helped my healing process and changed my life."
After learning so much about comprehensive health care, Sarah wanted to share this information with
others. A few years later, she founded the Oncology Support Program at Benedictine Hospital in
Kingston. Part of Sarah's mission was to educate people about all types of healing modalities.
"I had a real passion to help people acquire all the information I had," she said.
Sarah incorporated a wide variety of activities in the support program, including complementary
treatments, counseling, the arts, meditation and more.
"It's the idea that people are not just their diagnosis — they are an individual with many facets, including
the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical," she said.
For a long time, Sarah wanted to involve physicians in holistic health-care initiatives. Last fall, her vision
became reality when she met Dr. Samira Khera, a breast surgeon in Kingston. Khera deals with all sorts
of breast issues for women and men.
"Samira understands the value of treating the whole person," Sarah said.
Over the past eight months, Sarah and Khera have built a network of holistic health professionals who
support standard patient care. They've chosen practitioners with various specialties. They call themselves
the Integrated Medicine Network.
"Basically, the reason for the Integrated Medicine Network is to be able to offer something in addition to
standard care which will empower patients with the tools to help optimize their survival," Khera said. "All
the modalities offered are good for anybody. The network is for my cancer survivors, but not exclusive to
them. Anyone can benefit."
The network is composed of 14 health-care practitioners, including a licensed massage therapist, a
nutritionist, an acupuncturist, a yoga teacher, a naturopathic doctor, an energy healer and more.
August 01, 2010 - Beyond the bedsore: recognizing different wound types in long-term care - Julie
Williamson –
In the realm of wound management, pressure ulcers often command the most attention from long-term
care providers. While diligence is undoubtedly necessary, given the prevalence of pressure ulcers and
impact on morbidity and mortality, it's vital providers don't let their guard down on other types of wounds.
But, that's precisely what's happening, experts warn.
“I believe it's happening quite a bit. In some cases, people aren't aware of these other wounds. They may
automatically assume that every wound is a pressure ulcer, which just is not the case,” says Dr. James
Spahn, a retired head and neck surgeon who now serves as CEO/founder of EHOB Inc., an Indianapolis-
based manufacturer of pressure ulcer prevention and treatment products.
Statistics reveal that the prevalence of non-pressure ulcer skin breakdown is indeed significant.
Collectively, more than 600,000 new cases of leg ulcers are diagnosed each year across the general
population, experts say.
Meanwhile, the prevalence of venous wounds in adults is 1% to 2% of the U.S. population and can be as
high as 3.4% in those over age 80, according to the American College of Phlebology. The prevalence rate
for arterial leg wounds can range from 0.12% to 1.8%, according to researchers, and those rates may be
conservative because only 25% of Americans over age 65 who have peripheral arterial disease are
treated for the condition.
Incontinence-related dermatitis, which affects at least 6% of long-term care residents, also must not be
overlooked, along with the 1.5 million skin tears that occur in institutionalized adults each year, many of
them stemming from wheelchair injuries, transfers and falls. Finally, with roughly 23% of those age 60 or
older being diabetic (many of them undiagnosed), diabetic foot ulcers are another major concern. These
wounds account for up to 25% of all diabetic hospital admissions in the United States. They also are
credited for more than 60% of all non-traumatic lower limb amputations, according to the National
Diabetes Education Program.
“Each type of wound can be a real challenge and requires careful attention. Prevention and early diagnosis
is key, and neither will occur without proper training that elevates caregiver knowledge,” notes Chris
Cashman, CEO of Sanuwave, Alpharetta, GA. Sanuwave is a manufacturer of regenerative wound
healing technologies.
Stopping the bleeding
The first and perhaps most critical element of successful wound management and prevention is a
comprehensive, proactive care plan that combines ongoing physiological and risk assessments.
“If we don't take the time to really get to know each resident and their history, we won't know the risk
factors and won't be able to prevent some of these wound problems in the first place,” Spahn stresses.
“Regardless of the wound type, it does really come down to education. Without it, we're in trouble.”
Effective wound management also requires a multidisciplinary approach to ensure that all aspects of a
resident's care are represented.
“You have to treat the whole [resident], not just the hole in the [resident],” Jackie Todd, RN, CWCN,
clinical education specialist for Medline Industries Inc.'s Atlantic Division, reasons. “There are nine body
systems and they all intertwine and affect each other. Everything has to be evaluated for impact on healing.”
Ideally, a multidisciplinary team should include a healthcare provider, such as a physician or advance
practice nurse; administrator and bedside clinicians, dietitians, physical therapists, staff nurses,
occupational therapists, infection control, and educators.
“All should have clearly defined roles,” adds Diane Maydick, director of clinical affairs, Derma Sciences,
Princeton, NJ.
Asking the right questions also is essential, as is diligent documentation and communication to ensure that
all members involved in resident care are well versed on risks, changes to physiological and cognitive
status, and adjustments to medication and other treatment protocols.
Dodging disasters
Taking a proactive approach through detailed assessments, personalized care plans and a team approach
also will reduce the likelihood for wound misdiagnosis—and subsequent mistreatment that can prove
catastrophic.
One example might be a resident with recurrent venous stasis disease, bordering on lymphedema.
Compression must never be applied without first ruling out arterial involvement and a history of congestive
heart failure.
“If peripheral vascular disease exists, or if CHF is a possibility, compression could exacerbate [the
condition] and possibly cause death,” Todd warns.
Using therapies that increase microcirculation in residents who are misdiagnosed with vascular
complications also is dangerous, adds Cashman. “You really need to know what you're dealing with if
you're going to be increasing blood supply.”
Another line of caution when managing arterial wounds: Never raise the foot.
“About the worst thing you can do with an arterial wound is prop it up, which can cause the toes to rot,”
and lead to amputation, Spahn explains.
Diabetic foot ulcers present their own set of challenges. In some cases, these are misdiagnosed as
pressure ulcers—even though a prior diabetes diagnosis and location of the foot ulcer (typically on the
plantar aspect of the metatarsal heads and the heel, and over the dorsal portion of the toes), serves as a
reliable tip-off. In other cases, DFUs aren't given the attention they deserve because caregivers may
assume that they are unavoidable.
“In my opinion, it seems that many people just don't understand how serious diabetic foot ulcers are, so
they're not being as serious about treating them,” says Dean Tozer, senior vice president, Advanced
BioHealing Inc., Westport, CT. ABH manufacturers Dermagraft, a bio-engineered skin substitute for the
treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.
And DFUs are serious. Diabetics who develop one have up to a 25% risk for lower limb amputation.
There also is a 45% chance of death within five years, if not properly managed.
With a diabetic resident, it's imperative not only to keep their blood sugar in check, but also to identify
decreased sensation due to diabetic neuropathy and then take appropriate preventive measures to reduce
the risk of diabetic-related ulcers. Such measures may include use of properly fitting stockings and shoes,
and inspection of shoes for foreign objects or potential areas of pressure prior to the resident placing them
on their feet, to prevent traumatic injury, explains Laura Popkes, clinical services manager for McKesson
Medical-Surgical Extended Care Medimart, Minneapolis, MN.
Caregivers also must be aware that peripheral arterial occlusive disease is four times more prevalent in
diabetics than in non-diabetics.
Paper power
Regardless of the type of skin ulcer being treated, detailed, ongoing documentation of risk factors,
comorbidities, wound types, and care and treatment protocols becomes paramount.
“It is imperative to accurately document wound types and patient characteristics. Inaccurate
documentation can lead to legal issues,” stresses Maydick.
Even more importantly, however, thorough documentation allows caregivers to better monitor wound care
progress and make necessary care plan adjustments based on past treatment and prevention successes
and failures. With a diabetic foot ulcer, for example, documentation creates a vital timeline to monitor
standard therapies and determine when advanced modalities may be in order. Above all, documentation
helps ensure that treatment and prevention are tailored to each resident.
“What works on one [resident] will not necessarily work for everyone, even if it is the same type of
wound with basically the same underlying etiology and comorbid conditions,” Todd reasons.
Being fully aware of underlying conditions, additional risk factors and primary and secondary interventions–
along with how long the interventions have been in place and their degree of effectiveness–will go a long
way toward improving wound management.
“In order to achieve quality healed outcomes in the shortest amount of time, we have to step back, look
from that 10,000-foot vantage point, and take a common sense approach to wound care,” Todd
continues.
“Wound care is not rocket science and even though we may be given challenging wounds to deal with, we
can achieve wound healing and not break the bank.”
W.O.U.N.D. protocol helps healing
To manage wounds effectively, Jackie Todd, RN, CWCN, clinical education specialist for Medline
Industries Inc.'s Atlantic Division, recommends long-term care providers follow the W.O.U.N.D.
protocol, which addresses the five principles of wound healing.
W Is the wound healing?
Yes – Continue with treatment and best practice
No – Consider: other etiologies; comorbidities; other modalities; biochemical imbalance; bioburden;
pain, etc.
O Is there an optimal amount of moisture and is there an odor?
Excessive moisture
Desication
Moisture balance
U Understand the peri-wound skin
Edema
Erythema
Adhesive effects
Edges, etc.
N Necrotic, senescent or viable tissue
Necrotic (debride if debridement is consistent with overall patient goal)
Senescent (consider debridement and antimicrobials)
Viable and progressing (provide support )
D Depth or dead space
If deep, fill it
If flat, cover it
August 2, 2010 - From the August 2010 Issue of McKnight's Long Term Care News - Weightlifting
professor attests to health benefits -
Kathryn Schmitz's goal is to weigh at age 50 what she weighed at age 40. So she runs, bikes, does yoga
and, importantly, lifts weights. She is 47 now, and just six pounds shy of her aim.
At 5-foot-10, Schmitz, who lives in Merion with her two boys, carries those pounds invisibly, and it's easy
to believe that for five years in her 20s, she was a dancer in New York, including a spell with the Martha
Graham Dance Ensemble. For another five years, she was a personal trainer and manager of the Salomon
Brothers executive fitness center in the erstwhile World Trade Center.
When clients began asking her questions she couldn't answer, she went back to school, earning a master's
degree in exercise science from Queens College of the City University of New York. She later added a
doctorate in exercise physiology and a master's in public health, both from the University of Minnesota.
Her broad and varied background has enriched her perspective. She considers herself "a crossbreed,"
combining exercise science and an interest in public health in a way that enables her to serve as a sort of
personal trainer to the masses.
She does so from her perch at the University of Pennsylvania, where she is an associate professor in the
department of biostatistics and epidemiology. Her recent work has focused on the effect of exercise on
those recovering from disease, specifically breast cancer survivors.
The form of physical exertion that has attracted her interest, and increasing regard, is resistance exercise,
or, weightlifting. To call it a panacea would be going too far, Schmitz says, but it is certainly an underrated
palliative. "I call it the orphan exercise mode," she says.
In the so-called SHE study (for Strong, Healthy and Empowered), Schmitz and her co-researchers
showed that resistance exercise significantly slowed middle-age weight gain, especially the accumulation of
abdominal or visceral fat, which has been linked to such ills as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood
pressure.
"The obesity epidemic is hard to reverse," Schmitz says. "Instead of trying to look like Halle Berry, let's
reframe success as maintaining your current weight."
In the study, the abdominal fat of wome
n who lifted weights twice a week increased 7 percent over two years. By contrast, the abdominal fat of
women in the control group, who did no strength training, increased by 22 percent.
"You're not going to lose weight by lifting weights," Schmitz emphasizes, "but resistance exercise will help
keep you from gaining more weight."
Weightlifting has this effect because muscle tissue is metabolically active. The more muscle you have, the
more calories you burn, even at rest. Plus, the more muscle you have, Schmitz theorizes, the easier it is to
be physically active. After months of lifting weights, women in the study could carry canoes farther than
their husbands when portaging in Minnesota's lake country.
Resistance exercise is just as beneficial, it turns out, for the nation's 12 million cancer survivors. For years,
the standard advice for cancer patients was to rest and avoid activity. Women recovering from breast
cancer surgery were warned to lift no more than five pounds for fear it might precipitate or aggravate
lymphedema, chronic swelling, usually of the arms or legs, caused by removal of the lymph nodes.
"Women absolutely fear it," Schmitz says. "Some say they'd rather have the other breast removed than get
lymphedema. You can hide a mastectomy, but not a swollen arm."
Schmitz believed the guidelines were too risk-averse and impractical.
"My baby weighed eight pounds. A gallon of milk weighs eight pounds," she says. "When you consider
what resistance exercise does for bone and metabolic health, it doesn't make sense. Exercise improves
your body's ability to handle inflammation, injury, infection and trauma - the basic duties of the lymphatic
system."
Which is exactly what Schmitz's PAL study (for Physical Activity and Lymphedema), published last year,
showed. Not only was weight training safe, it mitigated the worsening of lymphedema by 50 percent.
That and similar findings spurred Schmitz and fellow members of an expert panel convened by the
American College of Sports Medicine recently to declare: "Exercise training is safe during and after cancer
treatments and results in improvements in physical functioning, quality of life, and cancer-related fatigue."
Addie Ford, 74, of Mount Airy, would agree. After a single mastectomy and the removal of 18 lymph
nodes, Ford developed lymphedema. Recruited for the PAL study, she began a regular program of
resistance exercise, which she continues today at a local rec center.
"Weightlifting has given me more control of my life," Ford says. "It keeps the fluids down and has given me
more mobility and upper-body strength. Before, I could lift only one bag of groceries; now I can lift two.
You have more freedom and can do your own thing."
Add Schmitz: "For so long, we've told people to walk or engage in aerobic exercise. If you do only one
thing as an adult getting older, do resistance exercise. At the least, it will keep you strong enough that
you're able to do aerobic exercise."
August 3, 2010 - Stuart massage therapist offers manual lymph node drainage –
STUART — IslandTouch Massage & Spa now is offering manual lymph drainage, a procedure used
before and after surgery to reduce swelling and pain.
Manual lymph drainage is a therapy for lymphedema, a retaining of fluid common among people who have
undergone mastectomy, lymph node removal or other surgeries. The procedure also can benefit people
suffering from sinusitis, puffiness and swelling of the eyes.
Beverly McKinley, the owner/operator of IslandTouch Massage & Spa, 957 S. U.S. 1, recently
completed a four-week course on manual lymph drainage conducted in Austria by an internationally
known specialist. McKinley is licensed massage therapist and certified in therapeutic massage.
For more information, contact IslandTouch Massage & Spa at (772) 286-8699 or visit www.
islandtouchmassage.com.
August 3, 2010 - New imaging technique could help physicians ease the aftermath of breast cancer -
A new study of breast cancer survivors may help physicians ease a common side effect of cancer
treatments. The collaborative research by Eva Sevick, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Molecular
Imaging at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston (UTHSC), and Caroline Fife, M.D.,
Director of the Memorial Herman Wound Care Clinic at UTHSC, could bring relief to millions.
Their paper appears in the inaugural issue of Biomedical Optics Express, an online, open-access journal
published by the Optical Society (OSA). The papers featured in the journal will encompass theoretical
modeling and simulations, technology development, biomedical studies and clinical applications.
A substantial number of breast cancer survivors suffer from lymphedema in the aftermath of their cancer
surgeries. In lymphedema, fluids accumulate in the arms, potentially causing disfiguring and debilitating
swelling that can impact quality of life.
Treatments vary, but they generally consist of using manual and pneumatic therapies to "push" or stimulate
the body to remove excess fluid and reduce tissue swelling. Finding out whether a treatment is working
can take months. That's because the current method of assessing progress is to measure the circumference
or volume of a limb and check for changes in swelling -- and a size change big enough to be measured
takes time.
During this time, the condition might improve - or it might worsen.
The UTHSC research team has developed what promises to be a more sensitive and more immediate
way to monitor the effectiveness of a treatment. Their new near-infrared fluorescence imaging technique
examines the root cause of lymphedema: blockages or damages in the lymphatic system that prevent fluid
from circulating through the body and cause it to pool in the limbs.
"The lymphatics are like the sewer system of your body," says Sevick. "If they get all plugged up, then
there's a flood."
Nine women - six with lymphedema and three controls - were injected with a near-infrared fluorescent
dye that has been used safely for 50 years at much higher dosages. The dye is taken up by the lymphatic
system. When tissue surfaces are exposed to a dim, near-infrared laser - harmless to the human body -
the dye within fluoresces, revealing its transit through the lymphatic system.
"This is the only method that can directly check for improvements in lymphatic function in one sitting,
before and after a treatment," says Sevick.
Physicians have several treatment options for controlling lymphedema. They may use compression
bandages and massage limbs to manually encourage fluids to drain from the arm. Pneumatic compression
devices, sleeves made of segmented chambers that inflate and squeeze, may provide a similar benefit at
home, but they may not always be covered by Medicare reimbursements because of lacking direct
evidence of their benefit.
"The problem is that there has been no good way to measure direct evidence of benefit," says Sevick.
"Hopefully we can use near-infrared fluorescence imaging technique to show improved lymphatic function
from these treatments."
The NIR fluorescence technique detected statistically significant improvements in fluid flow through the
lymphatic system immediately after the use of pneumatic compression devices. A larger follow-up study
will be needed to confirm the results of this pilot study, says Sevick.
More information: The paper "Direct evidence of lymphatic function improvement after advanced
pneumatic compression device treatment of lymphedema" by Kristen E. Adams et al. can be accessed at:
http://www.opticsi … =boe-1-1-114
Provided by Optical Society of America (news : web)
August 4, 2010 - Students display art at the Quay –
Mr. Palmer's Grade 5/6 class at Ridgeway elementary spent a day at Lonsdale Quay Market in May,
each creating a piece of art which reflects their impression of the Quay and its surrounding area.
According to a written statement, the result is 22 individual oil pastel works, entitled Lonsdale Quay.
These works can now be viewed in vacant shop windows on the second level of Lonsdale Quay Market,
and will remain on display throughout the summer.
Lonsdale Quay Market strives to support local and student artists, most recently through the installation
Viewfinder, a sculpture garden on the East Plaza of the market. Other community art works include the
mosaic fountain, entitled Tidal Waves, the mosaic rotunda floor, called Perspectives, and the starfish-
shaped bench on the waterfront plaza, Tidal Encounters.
At the recent 100th anniversary of the naming of King Edward high school, held at the Bayshore Hotel,
two North Shore residents received Lifetime Achievement Awards: Hilary Yates Clark (class of 1948)
and Ralph Sultan, MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano (class of 1950). The criteria included community
service, academic and professional achievement, and athletic and arts contributions. The committee chairs
were Bill Lee and Bill Turpin (class of 1961).
To celebrate that women can lead healthy and active lives after breast cancer, the Canadian Breast
Cancer Foundation, B.C./Yukon Region, awarded a total of $50,000 to 22 dragon boat breast cancer
survivor teams for the 2010 season, including Deep Cove's own North Shore Dragon Busters.
The region has supported dragon boat breast cancer survivor teams since 1997, says a spokeswoman for
the organization in a statement. The dragon boat movement for breast cancer survivors began in 1996 as
the result of a groundbreaking study led by Dr. Don McKenzie, professor of sports medicine at the
University of British Columbia. McKenzie set out to investigate the link between upper body exercise and
the development of lymphedema in women with breast cancer. Lymphedema is the significant swelling
some women experience due to accumulation of fluid in the arm and chest after the removal of lymph
nodes for the treatment of breast cancer. Twenty-four women, all with a history of breast cancer,
volunteered for Dr. McKenzie's research project and began training as dragon boaters. At the conclusion
of the study, McKenzie found that despite rigorous repetitive upper-body exercise, which dragon boating
required, no new cases of lymphedema occurred and none of the existing cases progressed. In addition,
the women who participated showed a marked improvement in both physical and mental health. From this
initial project in Vancouver, an international movement of breast cancer survivor dragon boat teams has
evolved.
Send details, along with your contact information, for our regular Noteworthy Neighbours section to
emcphee@nsnews.com.
August 5, 2010 - The Second Oncology Massage Healing Summit - Tracy Walton -
In May, I attended one of my favorite conferences of all time: "The Oncology Massage Healing Summit".
The setting was fabulous. The Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, Minnesota
hosted the conference, and a planning committee of members of the Society for Oncology Massage put it
together.
Gayle MacDonald (author of Medicine Hands: Massage Therapy for People with Cancer), and a member
of the planning committee, introduced the conference and the inspiring keynote speaker, Cathy Fanslow-
Brunjes, a seasoned hospice nurse who spoke on "Hope: A Dynamic Process in Living." Conference
attendees were also spellbound by a live performance of "Jonna's Body: Please Hold," an award-winning
one-woman show by Jonna Tamases, a three-time cancer survivor.
Breakout sessions at the conferences were outstanding, and even if I listed them all here, I would not be
able to do them justice. Presenters included oncology massage therapists, researchers, teachers, and
pioneers in the field. They came from hospital settings, private practice, spas, and teaching settings. The
common theme was working safely, well, and with full presence with people with cancer. I thoroughly
enjoyed Toni Muirhead's session on the Lebed method (a system of movement therapy for people with
cancer), Eleanor Oyston's presentation on theory and science behind gentle touch, Rene Janiece's
protocol for safe work with people with lymphedema, and Cheryl Chapman's session on the psychological
and emotional impact of mastectomy.
But there was much more. There were rich panel discussions and group presentations on creating your
dream in oncology massage, developing community-based oncology massage clinics, the role of massage
in oncology management, and teaching caregivers to massage their loved ones with cancer. There were
presentations on massaging children with cancer, skin care and esthetics for cancer patients, scar and
adhesion release, yoga for people with cancer, and writing successful grant proposals. There was even a
live cadaver lab, and a poster session of research, case studies, and descriptions of programs in oncology
massage. In-depth post-conference workshops were given by Cheryl Chapman and Jamie Elswick. It
was a full and exciting weekend.
The growing global interest in massage and touch for people with cancer was evident in attendees from all
over the globe: from Alaska to Australia, from Maine to Florida, and from Texas to Brazil. A dozen
attendees received funding to attend from the Cynthia Delano Myers Memorial Scholarship Fund,
established in honor of Dr. Myers' vast contributions to oncology massage, research, and integrative
medicine. People were there from small community hospitals as well as prominent cancer centers such as
MD Anderson, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
I was particularly moved by the strong presence of the co-sponsor, the Society for Oncology Massage,
which had begun its life in discussions at the first Oncology Massage Healing Summit in Toledo in 2007.
Since that time, the society has opened for membership. It now boasts an oncology massage therapist
locator service, extensive educational and advocacy resources, and a clearinghouse for research, quotes,
and stories. At the Society for Oncology Massage Web site (www.s4om.org), the role of skilled,
thoughtful touch in the lives of people with cancer and cancer histories is made abundantly clear. By the
time the next Summit rolls around, tentatively planned at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, the
Society for Oncology Massage should be a fixture in cancer care.
In my experience, the best professional gatherings in the massage profession engage the full heart, mind,
body, and soul. This one certainly did. As we ended with a blessing, "We are One," with voices from the
Four Directions, I thought of all of the people who were touched by massage, and in particular those who
navigate cancer treatment, survivorship, end of life, diagnosis and caregiving. Then, I understood the full
sphere of influence of massage. It was an honor to take part in this gathering. I breathed in all of the good
will and let it soak into my whole being, returning to my work with renewed energy and inspiration.
Articles: Lymphedema Niagara Joins the Lymphedema Association of Ontario in Fundraising Event. -
August 9, 2010
For the past two years the Lymphedema Association of Ontario has participated in the Scotia Bank
Charity Challenge. This year they are joined by Team Lymphedema Niagara who will sponsor a separate
fundraising 5K walk/run on September 19, 2010 in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010---On Sept. 19, 2010 Team Lymphedema Niagara will participate in the
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon with a local 5k Walk/Run in St. Catharines as a fundraiser for
the Lymphedema Association of Ontario.
The money that is raised will go to the Lymphedema Association of Ontario (LAO) in its work to provide
educational and awareness materials and events for lymphedema patients, those at risk for lymphedema
and for the medical community. The LAO puts on an annual lymphedema conference in Toronto, and
publishes a newsletter called Lymphedema Matters.
Thank you for supporting the LAO by pledging Team Lymphedema Niagara or one of our Team
Lymphedema Niagara members. All pledges will receive an official electronic tax receipt.
For more information on this event or on how to join or sponsor Team Lymphedema Niagara, email the
team captain, john Mulligan, at John@LymphedemaTherapist.com or call 905-687-1828. Also see the
Lymphedema Depot Blog at www.LymphedemaDepot.com/blog.
For more information about the Lymphedema Association of Ontario, visit their website at http://sites.
google.com/site/ontariolymph.
August 11, 2010 - Living With (and Without) Music: A Playlist by Steve Stern –
Steve Stern is the author, most recently, of the novel “The Frozen Rabbi.”
If Keats is right and unheard melodies are sweeter, then I’m in good shape. I haven’t been around a
decent sound system since my hippie commune days of 40 years ago and am too cheap to buy one of my
own. I’ve got a tinny boom box and a handful of CDs people have given me, but they reside largely
unopened in a cabinet whose doors have been hermetically sealed by the summer’s humidity. Truth is, my
musical education ended around 1969, not long after it began — this despite my birth in the cradle of
Delta blues and rock ’n’ roll. I haven’t heard the indelible music of my youth in decades and recall only
snatches of what once filled my head to the exclusion of rational thought. But since you asked…
I suppose the music that made up the soundtrack of my life would have to be divided between songs of
innocence and songs of experience. In the innocence category, I’d begin with …
1) Baby Mine, from Walt Disney’s “Dumbo,” which I heard at age 5 and which triggered a lifetime of self-
pity. It’s a lullaby the mother elephant sings to her child with his lymphedema of the ears, and it’s clear
that no one else but her will ever love the mutant creature. I identified for all I was worth; don’t ask why.
Advance to the teenage years, when the mood was sweetly exuberant as evoked by the likes of Sam
Cooke, Smoky Robinson and Little Anthony; though I, in the throes of cystic acne, preferred the
poignancy of Ben E. King, whose …
2) I Who Have Nothing helped consolidate the theme I’d been developing since childhood and defined
my adolescent sense of self. I confess that definition was somewhat mitigated when I won $150 by
correctly identifying
3) Hey Baby, by Bruce Chanel, on WHBQ radio. I was getting ready for school, listening for a song
portable enough to filter out the inanities of the coming day, when the D.J. announced he was phoning the
home of Sol Stern on Sevier Street. When the phone rang I pronounced the name of the song and its
singer before the question had even been asked. That my life was not changed by this triumph constituted
a disappointment that was the beginning of the end of innocence.
Bring on the Experience. It’s what? 1967? ’68? — sue me if my chronology’s inaccurate: time was
malleable in those days. Anyway, fallen in with a bad crowd, I’m swilling gallons of Romilar cough syrup
in lieu of the LSD that hasn’t yet hit Memphis, listening to …
4) rejoyce, from the Jefferson Airplane’s album “After Bathing at Baxter’s.” Thanks to an altered state
that blew the hinges from my doors of perception, Grace Slick’s impenetrable homage to Joyce’s
“Ulysses” insinuated itself into my synapses and abides there still. The song was also in the nature of a
literary awakening, or at least what accounted for one back in the lotus-eating days of illo tempore.
Then LSD hit and all bets were off. My painstakingly assembled neurotic persona was blasted to
diamond dust, and …
5) Aqualung, by Jethro Tull, became my anthem, because the group’s lead singer, Ian Anderson,
represented precisely the kind of shape-shifting depravity I had come to aspire to. Anderson would
appear on stage in outrageous garb, complete with tattered tailcoat, codpiece and electrified hair. He was
the fool from the Tarot pack, transformed by the music into something demonic, an acrobatic satyr, a
piper enticing children into dangerous enchantments. For all the timidity of my nascent gestures toward
narrative, I thought his performance characterized the sort of prose I would ultimately like to write; though
at the time my obsession led only to impersonations of his onstage antics that mortify me to this day.
I would also have to include from that period …
6) When You Awake, by the Band, which I would eventually associate with the kabbalistic Angel of
Forgetfulness, who tweaks you under the nose at birth so you forget your prenatal memories of Paradise.
Later on I used the song’s refrain, “When you awake you will remember everything,” as the epigraph to a
novella. When I applied to the record company for permission, however, I learned that the song’s author,
Richard Manuel, had recently hanged himself in a motel room. In my black heart I thought this gave the
epigraph a special resonance, since the story was about a restless ghost.
Other essentials of those years were:
7) Visions of Johanna, by Bob Dylan, and 8) Famous Blue Raincoat, by Leonard Cohen, probably the
two most beautiful songs ever written, and proof that you don’t need to understand them for the lyrics to
infect your heart.
Leaving the commune in the mid-’70s, I felt I was done with both innocence and experience, not to say
music; I’d had my fun. Now it was time to apply myself in earnest to the writing of fiction. If Dylan and
John Lennon occasionally conspired with Igor Stravinsky to raise a cacophony in my brain, I ignored it,
attending only to the white noise of anxiety. Though once in a while some stray tune might penetrate my
skull like a piece of shrapnel, as happened with
9) Dancin’ Jones, by the Neville Brothers, whom I used to see at Tipitina’s in New Orleans in 1979
before they were famous. That particular song resuscitated me from a flat-line condition following a toxic
romance: the kind of drama (including the widow of a suicide) so suited to the atmosphere of that louche
city. The song also coincidentally prophesied the name of the woman I would fall in love with for keeps.
If I listen to anything nowadays, other than voices portending the death of the planet, it’s the lullabies I’ve
come back to. I guess I’m looking for the one that will perhaps lull me into my grave, as for instance …
10) Rozinkes mit mandlen, written by Avram Goldfadn, the father of the Yiddish theater. My fondness for
this song is evidence of the type of sentimentality that augurs one’s dotage, and returns me full circle to the
maudlin sensibility of my early years. You can hear the song played with exquisitely schmaltzy virtuosity
by Itzhak Perlman on his album “Tradition.”
August 11, 2010 - Start Pumping Iron: Breast Cancer Patients Reduce Arm Swelling by Lifting Weights -
Women who suffer from lymphedema, or chronic arm swelling, after breast cancer surgery may
experience relief by lifting weights, according to a recent study. Lymphedema can occur after lymph nodes
are removed during breast cancer surgery reports New England Journel of Medicine. Doctors have
traditionally advised women with lymphedema to avoid lifting weights so as not to worsen the condition
Women who suffer from lymphedema, or chronic arm swelling, after breast cancer surgery may
experience relief by lifting weights, according to a recent study. Lymphedema can occur after lymph nodes
are removed during breast cancer surgery. Doctors have traditionally advised women with lymphedema to
avoid lifting weights so as not to worsen the condition. However, this recent study contradicts that advice,
showing that weightlifting might actually have a beneficial effect on breast cancer patients—in addition to
its other benefits on bone density and health.
Lymphedema is the chronic swelling or feeling of tightness in the arm or hand due to an accumulation of
lymphatic fluid in the soft tissue of the arm. The condition occurs when lymph vessels, which normally
carry excess fluid out of the limbs and back into central circulation, have had their flow interrupted.
Axillary (underarm) lymph node removal is commonly performed on breast cancer patients to stage or
treat their cancer. However, between 15% and 20% of breast cancer patients who undergo axillary lymph
node removal develop lymphedema. According to the American Cancer Society, of the two million breast
cancer survivors in the U.S., approximately 400,000 must cope with lymphedema on a daily basis.
Traditionally, women with lymphedema have been told to avoid weight lifting so as not to aggravate the
arm swelling. However, some researchers have called this advice into question. To conduct the current
study, lead researcher Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH, of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and
Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania and colleagues enrolled 141 past breast cancer patients with
lymphedema. Half of the women participated in a weight-lifting exercise program twice a week for 90
minutes over 13 weeks. The women wore a custom-fitted compression sleeve on the affected arm during
exercise and began with light weights, around 1 to 2 pounds, gradually increasing the weight over time.
The results of the study showed that the majority of the women in the weight-lifting group reduced
symptoms of lymphedema. Moreover, there were no serious adverse effects among the women who lifted
weights.
Dr. Schmitz hopes that her study will change how doctors advise patients with lymphedema. "Hopefully
this will be the last nail in the coffin for that kind of misguided advice," she said, in a statement on her
center’s web site.
The American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, and American Lymphedema Institute have
issued recommendations for women after breast cancer surgery to help avoid lymphedema. These
recommendations include the following:
Use the arm in normal activities (such as bathing, dressing, etc.).
After surgery, keep the arm raised above the level of the heart for 45 minutes, two to three times a day
while lying down. Position the arm on a pillow so the hand is higher than the wrist and the elbow is slightly
higher than the shoulder.
Use a soft ball or stress ball and perform squeezing exercises with the hand, even if patients are not yet
ready to perform raised arm positions immediately after surgery.
Clean the skin of the arm and hand every day and keep it moist with lotion. Lotions should not contain any
alcohol, dyes, lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum products, talc or perfumes.
Make sure all clothing in contact with the affected area is clean, and change bandages and dressing
frequently.
Avoid any needle sticks, blood tests, blood pressure testing, allergy tests or medical procedures of any
kind on the affected arm whenever possible.
Be careful to avoid too much pressure on the arm. Avoid tight jewelry, clothing or elastic bandages on the
affected arm.
Do not use chemical hair removers under the arm. Use of an electric razor is recommended to avoid nicks
and cuts when removing underarm hair.
Avoid extreme changes in temperature. Do not use hot tubs or saunas.
Take precautions to avoid any injuries to the affected arm, such as scrapes, scratches, burns, insect bites.
Consider wearing soft pads under the arm after axillary node dissection.
Wear a breast compression garment when traveling.
Wear protective gloves when doing household chores, especially when chemical cleansers are involved.
Exercise regularly but rest the affected arm immediately if it becomes tired or sore.
Maintain a balanced diet and an ideal weight.
Any exercise program, including weight lifting, begun after breast cancer surgery should be discussed
thoroughly with the patient’s medical treatment team. Despite the results of the current study, weight lifting
may not appropriate for all patients.
Additional Resources and References:
The study, “Weight Lifting in Women with Breast-Cancer–Related Lymphedema,” was published in the
August 13, 2009, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, http://content.nejm.org/
A statement about the current study was published on the web site of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology
and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania, http://www.cceb.upenn.edu/
To learn more about lymphedema, please visit http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/lymphedema.asp
August 12, 2010 - AT WORK: Hermosa Beach plastic surgeon balances aesthetic, reconstructive
practices - Christine Trang –
It used to be a high point of Jay Granzow's life: the Legos he built, the flying objects he created, the
remote-control cars he pieced together.
Today, Granzow focuses most of his attention on people, rather than objects.
The 38-year-old is a plastic surgeon at Torrance-based County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. He
works with breast cancer patients and people who suffer from lymphedema, a condition of fluid retention
in the arm or leg.
Granzow, a Hermosa Beach resident, also serves as professor of surgery at the UCLA David Geffen
School of Medicine.
In an earlier career, Granzow earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Princeton, and
worked in this field before attending medical school at Tulane University in New Orleans.
Why did you decide to go to medical school?
You do pretty similar things as an engineer and plastic surgeon. I like working with people directly and
seeing results, rather than being a bit more distant from the people I help day to day. I was one person on
a team of engineers, which was a good thing, it was fun, but ultimately, my direct input was not as visible
as if I just worked with someone one on one.
Describe what a typical day is like for you.
My day is anything but typical. Sometimes I'm in surgery, sometimes I'm with a patient and sometimes I'm
teaching residents in the clinic or operating room.
Who is your average patient?
She's about 40 to 50 years old, and she already underwent surgery and radiation for breast cancer.
We also see patients with lymphedema. Some get the disease from breast cancer surgery or a gynecology
cancer, like cancer of the cervix or uterus.
A third set of patients we see are those already born with lymphedema or a predisposition for the disease.
Tell me about lymphedema.
Lymph is a clear fluid that lubricates the tissues between your muscles and organs. If any lymphatic
channels get blocked off because of surgery, radiation or a congenital reason, the fluid builds up and
causes that area to swell.
What does a lymphedema procedure entail?
One is called lymphaticovenous anastomosis. That means we make a direct connection from lymphatic
vessels to nearby small veins. This allows fluid to drain into the veins and return to the body's circulation.
The other is a microvascular lymph node transfer. It involves taking lymph nodes from the groin, with their
supporting artery and vein, and moving them to another area, like the arm pit, where previous lymph
nodes have been removed from surgery. This also allows for drainage.
How long does each procedure last?
The first is a series of two to three surgeries. Each one lasts about four to six hours.
The second is about six to ten hours because the procedure also comes together with breast
reconstruction.
How are you different from your competitors?
I like to balance aesthetic and reconstructive practices. It's great to take care of people and make them
look better. But I also offer reconstruction, and I don't just offer the simple levels most people offer.
My procedures with lymphedema, which almost nobody else in the world treats, sets me apart. The breast
reconstruction, that sets me apart. I have a head and neck surgery background, and I have a regular
medical background.
Why do you think you are one of the few who performs lymphedema procedures?
There's very little training in it. It's new, and it's very precise. Very few people can work with a tiny suture
under a microscope at that level, and very few can be comfortable doing that routinely.
August 16, 2010 - Dragon Boaters Battle the Odds, Paddle Toward Victory Against Breast Cancer -
Christy Potter Kass -
PARSIPPANY, NJ – With the intensity of a drill sergeant and the familiarity of a sister, Ellen Law shouts
down the rows of women rowing the dragon boat furiously through the waters of Lake Parsippany.
"Let’s go! Keep pushing through the pain!" Law stops and corrects herself. "Not pain! Muscle learning!"
Not pain. Their arm muscles are on fire and they’re sweating hard as they lean on their paddles, but these
women know what pain is. And this isn’t it.
The members of Pathways Team SOSNJ (Save Our Sisters) Dragon Boat Team are all breast cancer
survivors. They formed a rowing team and became an affiliate of the NJ Dragon Boat Club. Now, under
Law’s coaching, they practice weekly on Lake Parsippany and compete in races all over the U.S. and
Canada.
Some of the members of Team SOSNJ are in their mid 20s. Almost half the team is over 60. Three of
them are over 70. They come from all over Northern and Central New Jersey. Some joined the team
while still undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, others are long-term survivors.
"Some people don’t like the idea of a support group where you sit around a table and talk and cry," said
member Peggy Salisbury of Union. "They want to do something more active, but still be with women who
know what they’ve been through."
Law, who lives in East Hanover and also coaches volleyball in New Providence, has been a member of
the U.S. National Dragon Boat Team since 1998 and has raced for Team USA at the World
Championships since then. She helps organize and coach dragon boat teams all over New Jersey, but
brushes off a member’s comment that she does it "out of the goodness of her heart."
"I do it because I enjoy it," she says. "It’s a growing sport, and it’s good for these women. After all they’
ve been through, it’s good for them to sit in the boat and just row. They don’t have to worry, they don’t
even really have to think. They just have to row."
At first glance, it sounds counterintuitive for women who have been through breast cancer surgery to do
an exercise as strenuous on the upper body as rowing. And for many years, women were advised not to
lift more than five pounds after surgery. But groundbreaking research in 1996 by Dr. Don McKenzie, a
sports medicine physician at the University of British Columbia, showed that by following a special
exercise and training program such as dragon boating, breast cancer survivors could avoid lymphedema
and enjoy active, full lives. A team of physicians, a physiotherapist and a nurse carefully monitored his
program, and in the end, Dr. McKenzie’s theory was proven correct. No new cases of lymphedema
occurred and none of the existing cases became worse.
Team SOSNJ shows no signs of having been sick at all as they row, paddles churning up whitewater on
either side of the narrow boat. They are like any other athletes, keeping an eye on their form, working up
a sweat and trying to heed the advice their coach shouts at different intervals.
The only evidence of the medical challenges they’ve faced comes when they pause their rowing and
everyone raises one arm in the air and flexes their fingers for a bit to drain their lymph nodes. Then it’s
paddles in the water and back to practice.
"Bury the blade!" Law shouts from the front of the boat. The women plunge their paddles deeper into the
water, propelling the boat forward faster still. The key to keeping the boat smooth and steady is for each
boater to keep her eye on the paddle in front of her. Law continually shouts for them to synchronize the
entrance and exits of their paddles from the water. It’s a skill that echoes their very spirits – they’re a
team. They’re fighters. And they’re working together to paddle forward and leave breast cancer behind.
The symbol of the dragon itself also reflects the spirit of these women. Dragon boating is an ancient
Chinese ritual in which paddlers, in a synchronized rhythm, raced competitively, as they believed that
racing symbolized their struggle with nature and the fight against deadly enemies. With the "dragon" at the
helm of their boat, they would gain strength and vitality and avert misfortune.
Dragon boats are 40 feet long and hold 20 paddlers sitting in 10 rows, with two on each row. A steerer
stands in the stern and, during races, a drummer sits on the bow. At competitive events, ceremonial
dragon heads and tails are attached to the boats. Barry Howard of Morristown serves as the team’s
steerer during practice, but at many races, no one is allowed in the dragon boat who is not a breast cancer
survivor.
Practice over for another week, Law pulls the boat onto shore and the women climb out, holding each
other’s hands and leaning on each other’s shoulders to regain their footing. They chatter about upcoming
races as they put their equipment away.
"This is good for these women in a lot of ways," Law said. "Many of our members are older and have
never been a part of a competitive sport before. They love it. Every year, we get new members. That’s
really what keeps it exciting for all of us - getting caught up in the enthusiasm of the new members." Prior
rowing experience is not required, and there is no age limit.
"It’s an amazing feeling to be a part of this team," said Michele Visco, executive director of Pathways and
a breast cancer survivor. "Dragon boating can help women deal with not only the physical but also the
emotional and psychological aftermath of a cancer diagnosis and treatment. You may not feel so strong
after what you’ve been through, but out on that boat, you feel strong again."
Joan McEntee of Pompton Plains, who is in her second summer as a member of Team SOSNJ, said she
joined for the workout and the camaraderie.
"It’s fun," she said. "And being out there with women who have been through what I’ve been through
helps remind me that breast cancer is not the end of the world."
Pathways Team SOSNJ is currently sponsored by Dime Savings Bank and Investors Savings Bank.
For more information on Pathways or Team SOSNJ, call 908-273-4242, extension 154, or visit www.
TeamSOSNJ.org.
August 16, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot to Showcase Solaris Compression Products at Québec
Lymphedema Seminar - LymphedemaDepot -
Lymphedema Depot will be showing the Solaris line of lymphedema care products at the Québec
conference on therapeutic compression hosted by the Lymphedema Association of Québec and Clinique
médical et sportive Régina Assumpta on September 30, 2010.
St. Catharines, Ontario, August 16 , 2010---Lymphedema Depot Ltd. will be presenting Solaris line of
lymphedema care products at the Montréal event “Take Charge of Your Lymphedema; A Guide to the
Use of Compression,” a bilingual information conference with simultaneous interpretation. The conference
will take place on Monday August 30, 2010, and is sponsored by the Lymphedema Association of
Quebec and Clinique médicale et sportive Régina Assumpta.
“We’re excited about this occasion because this is the first time we will be personally showing our
products in Quebec”, says Lymphedema Depot co-founder and clinical specialist John Mulligan,
RMT/CDT-LANA. We are looking forward to this important conference on compression, and we thank
the Lymphedema Association of Quebec and Clinique médicale et sportive Régina Assumpta for
sponsoring this unique event.
The conference will be moderated by Michel Eid, MT, CDT, Instructor, Vodder School International.
Featured speakers will be:
· Dr. Christian Schuchhardt, co-editor of the manual Lymphedema, Diagnosis & Therapy;
· Dr. Anna Towers, Director MUHC (McGill University Health Centre) Lymphedema Clinic and Director
of the McGill University Lymphedema Research Program;
· Robert Harris, Director, Vodder School International;
· Monica Coggiola, PT, Instructor, Vodder School International;
· Dorit Tidhar, MSc PT, Creator of Aqua Lymphatic Therapy, Tidhar Method; Educational Coordinator,
MUHC (McGill University Health Centre) Lymphedema Clinic.
The Lymphedema Association of Québec is a charitable organization founded in 1999 to provide
education, awareness, and support to those with lymphedema, and to encourage research leading to
effective treatments and eventually a cure.
Find out more at http://www.infolympho.ca
Lymphedema Depot is a Canadian company dedicated to bringing new options in lymphedema care
products to Canada. We are the exclusive Canadian distributor of the Solaris line of medical compression
garments for the management of lymphatic and venous edemas. Find out more at http://www.
LymphedemaDepot.com.
To contact Lymphedema Depot, email info@LymphedemaDepot.com
August 17, 2010 - Health kudos - Schneider earns certification – CLYDE ASHEVILLE WAYNES—
Susan Schneider, a physical therapist at Haywood Regional Medical Center, has completed 140 hours of
additional training to earn a lymphedema certification.
Schneider has been with Haywood Regional's rehabilitation department for five years. She recently
expanded her services to include treating patients needing therapy for lymphedema.
Schneider offers free screenings on the third Tuesday of each month, from 4-5:30 p.m. at the rehabilitation
department, located on the first floor of Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center.
For more information or to schedule an appointment for the next free screening, call 452-8070.
August 18, 2010 - About breast cancer exercise specialists - Reading Eagle -
What is a breast cancer exercise specialist?
Someone trained through the Pink Ribbon Program developed by exercise physiologist Doreen Puglisi,
who earned a master's and bachelor's degree in exercise science from Seton Hall University, South
Orange, N.J. She is a certified cancer exercise specialist. She also is the chairwoman of the Health
Education and Exercise Science Department at County College of Morris, Randolph, N.J.
What is a breast cancer exercise specialist qualified to do?
A specialist is qualified to assess, design and implement individual and group exercise and fitness programs
for those diagnosed with cancer.
A specialist also can evaluate health behaviors and risk factors and conduct fitness assessments.
Motivating individuals to maintain a healthy lifestyle is another role of the specialist.
Specialists are trained to understand the entire cancer process from diagnosis to treatment, recovery,
prevention of lymphedema and contraindications.
Source: www.pinkribbonprogram.com
August 18, 2010 - Study: Iyenga Yoga Accelerates Recovery Process in Breast Cancer Survivors -
TopNews United States - Amit Pathania -
A lot of people do yoga to remain fit and healthy. And now, according to a research, a new dedicated
Iyenga yoga program helps in the quick recuperation for breast cancer survivors, and those who are
undertaking breast cancer treatment.
A study, at the University of Alberta, revealed that Iyenga yoga has the capability to alter lives. Alexandra
Hildebrandt, a breast cancer survivor, who took part in the study, narrates her experience with the yoga
program.
Hildebrandt said that she had lymphedema. When she practices yoga on a regular basis, she sees a
dramatic lessening in swelling.
She said, "You use so many props so it allows you to do fewer poses in class, but you hold them for
longer and you can really relax and stretch into the poses".
Even after finishing the course, she is still practicing Iyenga yoga.
Researchers conducted a 10-week long study, which entailed breast cancer survivors and was
spearheaded by Amy Speed-Andrews.
Speed-Andrews said that the response received from the women was very encouraging.
It is said that mental health and quality of life are considered as the vital elements, after a person undergoes
invasive medical procedures, like breast cancer surgical treatment.
And with this regimen, the patients' recovery process gets a kick.
August 18, 2010 – Yoga helps women heal: U of A study - KATHY LE METRO EDMONTON –
Many people practise yoga for relaxation purposes and health benefits. However, a study at the University
of Alberta shows the benefits of Iyengar yoga goes much further than being healthy — it can change lives.
Breast cancer survivor Alexandra Hildebrandt was a participant in the study and described how the class
has helped her body.
“I had lymphedema and if I do the poses regularly, after a couple of days there’s significantly reduced
swelling,” said Hildebrandt. “You use so many props so it allows you to do fewer poses in class, but you
hold them for longer and you can really relax and stretch into the poses.”
The 10-week study, led by Amy Speed-Andrews, required women diagnosed with breast cancer, in a
survivorship stage, to participate in a before and after questionnaire.
“The feedback we received from the women was very positive,” Speed-Andrews said.
Hildebrandt has continued to do Iyengar yoga, even after completing the study.
“I’m running in the half-marathon this Sunday. I’m back in business,” she said.
August 18, 2010 - FORT WORTH, Texas/PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Wound Management Technologies, Inc. /quotes/comstock/11k!wndm (WNDM 0.70, 0.00, 0.00%)
announced today that its new international distributor, Spiramed (Pty) Ltd, exhibited its advanced wound
care collagen product, CellerateRX(R) last weekend at the DFWG (Diabetic Foot Working Group)
congress in Cape Town and has already planned exhibitions at two additional upcoming conferences. This
second meeting of the DFWG congress was attended by over 120 diabetic foot specialists. Spiramed will
also be exhibiting CellerateRX(R) at the UBUNTU International Conference-A Global Wound Healing
Initiative September 5-8. This conference is hosted by South Africa and endorsed by the Wound Healing
Association of Southern Africa. Other supporting organizations include the World Alliance of Wound and
Lymphedema Care, World Health Organization, The Lindsay Leg Club Foundation, and Wound
International. The programme is focused on assessing the scope of wound care issues in economically
challenged countries and proposing strategies and solutions in the area of wound care. They will also be
showcasing CellerateRX(R) at the VASSA 2010 Congress (Vascular Society of Southern Africa) in
October.
"We are excited about CellerateRX(R)'s introduction to the South African market," stated Cathy
Bradshaw, President of Wound Care Innovations, a subsidiary of Wound Management Technologies.
"According to the World Diabetes Foundation, the estimated number of people with diabetes in South
Africa is approximately 840,000, with a projected increase to 1.3 million in the next few years. Statistics
show that around 15% of these people will develop a diabetic foot ulcer at some point in their lives. We
believe that CellerateRX(R) can have an enormous impact in the management of the related wounds."
CellerateRX(R) is registered in South Africa and has assigned NAPPI (National Pharmaceutical Product
Interface) codes. It is registered with various South African insurance companies as an authorized product
for reimbursement.
For Wound Management Technologies Shareholder Information please call 817-820-7077 or go to http:
//www.wmgtech.com
About Wound Care Innovations, LLC
Wound Care Innovations, LLC (WCI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wound Management
Technologies, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board:WNDM.ob - News) with its corporate headquarters in Fort
Worth, Texas, and regional offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. WCI markets and distributes wound care
products to the healthcare market under patented technology licensed to the Company. The Company is
positioned and seeks to be a leading provider of wound care products. For more information on
CellerateRX(R), please visit the WCI web site at http://www.celleraterx.com/ .
About Wound Management Technologies, Inc.
Wound Management Technologies, Inc.'s primary focus is the distribution of its unique, patented collagen
product, CellerateRX(R), in the $3.2B worldwide advanced wound care market, a market that is growing
due to aging populations and the increase of diabetes. Over the past 2 years Wound Management has
focused on developing evidenced-based studies on CellerateRX(R) and gaining physician awareness by
participation in key industry conferences. Now Wound Management is focused on expanding sales
through partnerships and contracted independent representatives. Wound Management has other
advanced biotech products in development for bone wax, bone void fillers and shingles pain reduction as
well as a subsidiary focused on eHealth technology for secure healthcare data collaboration and storage.
More information can be found on the company's web sites: http://www.wmgtech.com, http://www.
celleraterx.com , and http://www.secureehealth.com .
Safe Harbor Statement:
The statements in the press release that relate to the company's expectations with regard to the future
impact on the company's results from new products in development and any other statements not
constituting historical facts are "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of and subject to the safe
harbor created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Since this information may contain
statements that involve risk and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, the company's actual
results may differ materially from expected results. This document may contain forward-looking statements
concerning the Company's operations, current and future performance and financial condition. These items
involve risks, contingencies and uncertainties such as product demand, market and customer acceptance,
the effect of economic conditions, competition, pricing, the ability to consummate and integrate
acquisitions, and other risks, contingencies and uncertainties detailed in the Company's SEC filings, which
could cause the company's actual operating results, performance or business plans or prospects to differ
materially from those expressed in, or implied by these statements. The Company undertakes no
obligation to revise any of these statements to reflect the future circumstances or the occurrence of
unanticipated events.
SOURCE Wound Management Technologies, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2010 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
August 18, 2010 - Softball tournament is more than a fundraiser - Statesman Journal -Capi Lynn -
Organizing and promoting Play for the Cure was a challenge last year for Kris Knox.
The annual softball tournament — held in memory of her mother, who died of breast cancer in 2002 —
took on even more meaning.
Knox, unbeknownst to many, was coming to terms with having just been diagnosed herself.
Although it was a difficult time, trying to decide which treatment to pursue, she couldn't have imagined
being anywhere else but at an event devoted to raising money for breast cancer awareness.
"It was kind of a gift," Knox said, "because there was a lot of positive energy, a lot of great support."
Only family members and close friends knew Knox had cancer. She went public with the news on opening
night of the tournament, wearing a pink survivor T-shirt and throwing out one of the ceremonial first
pitches.
Then just 10 days after the tournament, which raised an all-time high $37,000, she underwent a double
mastectomy.
A year later, Knox is cancer-free and busy making last-minute preparations for the ninth annual Play for
the Cure, which will open Friday evening at Wallace Marine Park.
"What I really want the message to be is not the fact that I got breast cancer and isn't that ironic," she said.
"This was a reminder to me, like I hope it was a reminder to every one else, that you don't get credit for
volunteer hours and for how much effort you put into a cause. It's the one place there is guaranteed to be
no discrimination."
Play for the Cure is a fundraiser for the Linda L. Vladyka Breast Wellness Foundation, which to date has
raised nearly $140,000 in an effort to "strike out" breast cancer. Last year it gave $25,000 to the Oregon
and SW Washington affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, $10,000 to a fund through the Salem
Hospital Foundation that provides emergency financial assistant to breast cancer patients, and $2,000 to
the local YWCA's mammogram screening program for uninsured or underinsured women.
Oregon, in case you didn't know, is ranked seventh in the nation in breast cancer incidence, according to
the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control. It is estimated that each week 51
women in Oregon are diagnosed with breast cancer and nine women die from it.
In addition to raising money for research and treatment, Play for the Cure offers health and education
resources.
Christine Frank, a licensed physical therapist and certified lymphedema specialist who treated Knox, will
be at the three-day tournament to discuss healthy care for your lymphatic system during and after breast
cancer treatment.
Lymphedema, or swelling of the soft tissues in the arms, is an often overlooked side effect of treatment.
During surgery for breast cancer, at least one lymph node from the underarm area is removed to see if the
cancer has spread. Removing lymph nodes changes the way fluid flows, results in an excess buildup, and
causes swelling.
Knox had three lymph nodes removed from one arm and four from the other during her double
mastectomy. She started physical therapy with Frank less than six weeks after surgery.
"When I went in," Knox said, "I couldn't raise my arms."
Knox went through nine months of physical therapy that also included work in a swimming pool and in a
Pilates gym.
She participated in a one-on-one, six-week exercise program taught by Sarah Hillman, a certified Pink
Ribbon Program instructor. The Pink Ribbon Program is a Pilates-based rehabilitation program designed
to help breast cancer patients regain full range of motion to those areas affected by surgery.
Knox took her rehabilitation seriously, because she wanted to return to her profession. Among the first
questions she asked her doctor was if she could recover from a double mastectomy and be a cop (yes),
and how long it would take (9-10 months).
She returned to light duty with Salem police in October. She worked full time but with flexibility in her
schedule to attend doctor and physical therapy appointments.
Choosing to undergo a double mastectomy was a difficult and personal decision for Knox.
A tumor was found in only one of her breasts, but she opted to also have surgery to remove both rather
than just have a lumpectomy. She sought advice from other women, asking them about their treatment
choices.
"I had a lot of built-in connections," Knox said. "I had a lot of people I could talk to, trust and feel
comfortable with."
She made her decision "knowing what my family history was and just knowing myself. I felt like I wanted
to be as aggressive as possible and deal with this once and not spend the rest of my life waiting for the
other shoe to fall."
By having the double mastectomy, she said she avoided having to undergo radiation therapy.
She chose not to have breast reconstruction, but did have follow-up surgery in March for revision of the
14-inch scars on each side, from the middle of her chest to her back.
Scar-revision surgery can improve the way a scar looks and feels, making it less severe. It was important
for Knox in terms of comfort in her police uniform.
"To go back to work and wear body armor, I had to have things straightened out," she said.
Knox was cleared for regular duty on June 2 — 9 months, 8 days after her double mastectomy, she
proudly told me. She is currently assigned to the crime prevention unit.
"We do a lot of community education," she said. "It's one area of the department you really get to have a
daily dose of positive interaction."
Knox also gets a dose of positive interaction during Play for the Cure, a three-day softball tournament that
will feature 20 coed and 20 women's teams. The tournament is so popular that each year there is a waiting
list of teams hoping to get in.
Knox thinks her involvement in Play for the Cure helped save her life.
If her mom hadn't been diagnosed with breast cancer, she and other family members wouldn't have
organized the foundation and the fundraiser, and she wouldn't have become so aware and educated about
the disease.
"I've said for a long time, I really truly believe there are no accidents," Knox said. "I'm confident I wouldn't
have found the lump and probably wouldn't have been looking.
"My mom took care of me my whole life, and there she was still taking care of me."
"Forward This" appears Wednesdays and Sundays and highlights the people, places and organizations of
the Mid-Willamette Valley. To share a story, contact Capi Lynn at clynn@StatesmanJournal.com or
(503) 399-6710.
August 19, 2010 - Breast cancer survivors don't need to be afraid of air travel: U of A study - EurekAlert
- Carmen Leibel –
University of Alberta researcher Margie McNeely says results from an international study she was part of
indicates certain precautions about the risk of lymphedema for breast cancer survivors are outdated.
McNeely, from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, says women who've had breast cancer surgery are
often warned that pressure changes in an airplane cabin could trigger lymphedema, chronic swelling in the
arm. But the study she did with an Australian research team showed that only five per cent of these
women are likely at risk of developing any arm swelling when flying.
The caution about lymphedema risk is for women who have had lymph nodes removed from the armpit, a
common procedure during cancer treatment. McNeely says because these lymph nodes help drain fluid
when they are removed there is the potential for chronic swelling.
McNeely teamed up with Australian researcher Sharon Kilbreath to study the effect of air travel on 60
Canadian breast cancer survivors who were flying to Australia for an International Dragon Boat Festival.
Seventeen of these women were from Edmonton. The study also involved a group of 12 women who
were travelling to the festival from different areas of Australia.
The researchers compared both of the participants' arms, the arm where lymph nodes were removed from
the armpit and the opposite unaffected arm, with a device that can detect subtle changes in fluid difference
between the arms. The measurements were done in Canada before they left and again in Australia when
they arrived.
Findings indicate that 95 per cent of the women had no arm swelling. Four women had a slight increase
but at a follow-up test, done six weeks after the women returned to Canada, three were back to normal
and only one woman was found at possible risk for chronic swelling.
McNeely says that, until now, information about air travel and lymphedema risk has not been based on
solid evidence, but says this research shows that while there is a risk of developing lymphedema during
flight, that risk is very low.
McNeely's research was published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
August 19, 2010 - Air travel safe for breast cancer survivors: Study - ANI -
Washington, Aug 20 (ANI): Women who have survived breast cancer can fly without any worries, says a
new study.
University of Alberta researcher Margie McNeely said that the theory that breast cancer survivors are at a
risk of lymphedema, is outdated.
Women have often been warned that post breast cancer, pressure changes in an airplane cabin could
trigger lymphedema, chronic swelling in the arm.
However, McNeely said that the risk is for those women who have had lymph nodes removed from the
armpit, a common procedure during cancer treatment. When there is the potential for chronic swelling,
these lymph nodes work to drain the fluid.
McNeely and Australian researcher Sharon Kilbreath compared two such groups of patients - one that
had had their lymph nodes removed and one that had not. All the women were breast cancer survivors.
Findings indicated that 95 per cent of the women had no arm swelling. Four women had a slight increase
but at a follow-up test, done six weeks later three were back to normal and only one woman was found at
possible risk for chronic swelling.
McNeely said that this research shows that while there is a risk of developing lymphedema during flight,
that risk is very low. (ANI)
August 19, 2010 - 800-pound Kerrville man fights to stay alive - Sarah Forgany -
KERRVILLE -- It's a rare condition doctors say they see once in their career.
"I have a real illness, it's not just because I sat on my butt and ate myself this way," said Christopher
Fisher, who suffers from extreme obesity.
The 37-year-old from Kerrville was no different than any other kid growing up. He played football, went
fishing and became a horseshoe pitching champion.
"I have five boys and they all ate like horses," said Donna Fisher, Christopher Fisher's mother. "He would
eat one big mac and put on five pounds."
Five pounds turned to 10, then a 100 and by his late teens, Fisher had reached 250 pounds.
"I really didn't watch what I ate but I guess I wasn't concerned at that time," Fisher said. "I was still able to
get around and move around."
At 25 years old, Fisher was 500 pounds. That's when he decided to go under the knife to get gastric
bypass surgery.
And the operation was successful until a major roadblock.
"I got in a car accident," Fisher said. "I was bedridden for months."
Before long, he was back to weighing 500 pounds. He started suffering from heart problems, diabetes,
lymphedema and high blood pressure.
For months, Fisher said he was in and out of the hospital, but no one could help him.
Today, Fisher has reached 800 pounds. But he hasn't given up. Breathing very heavily, Fisher showed us
he can get up and walk, even sit on his bed by himself, despite his terminal obesity. "I eat salads, I eat
oatmeal for breakfast, I eat very little now and I'm doing everything I can to lose weight but nothing is
helping," Said Fisher.
"He is in the .01 percent of the nation," said Dr. John Pilcher with New Dimensions Weight Loss.
More than 30 percent of Americans are considered obese. Fisher is morbidly obese.
Dr. Pilcher says Fisher's weight is likely the result of both eating habits and genes.
"Genetics has a lot to do with this, from very early growth even going back to pregnancy in the womb,"
Pilcher said.
"Personal choice factors have been over weighted in the past. We assume people do this to themselves
and that's really just not what happens."
Donna Fisher says her son doesn't eat very much, yet he continues to put on weight.
"There is a reason why he went from 500 to 750 in three months - it's not because he shoveled food in his
mouth. It's medical, you can see his legs," she said.
Despite his frequent hospitalizations, Donna Fisher said no one wants to take his medicaid and with little
help from the insurance, she fears he's slowly dying.
"You can't let your baby die, because nobody wants to help him," she said. "He wants to help himself, but
he doesn't know how. We need those people who are supposed to be smart."
Helpless, Fisher told us he thinks about death. But he's not ready to go just yet.
"I do care about life, I'm not going to lay in my bed and die, I'm not going to sit in my chair and die, I still
want to live," he said.
Pilcher has yet to meet Fisher but he agreed to take his case. The doctor told us it may take months
before Fisher loses some weight.
But Pilcher said he's optimistic that they can perform a second surgery on Fisher once he is medically
ready.
KENS 5 will continue to follow Fisher's story and his progress as he works with Pilcher.
For more information on obesity and how you can treat it, you can visit www.ndwls.com or call 210-614-
3370.
August 19, 2010 - Breast cancer survivors don't need to be afraid of air travel: U of A study - EurekAlert
- Carmen Leibel -
University of Alberta researcher Margie McNeely says results from an international study she was part of
indicates certain precautions about the risk of lymphedema for breast cancer survivors are outdated.
McNeely, from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, says women who've had breast cancer surgery are
often warned that pressure changes in an airplane cabin could trigger lymphedema, chronic swelling in the
arm. But the study she did with an Australian research team showed that only five per cent of these
women are likely at risk of developing any arm swelling when flying.
The caution about lymphedema risk is for women who have had lymph nodes removed from the armpit, a
common procedure during cancer treatment. McNeely says because these lymph nodes help drain fluid
when they are removed there is the potential for chronic swelling.
McNeely teamed up with Australian researcher Sharon Kilbreath to study the effect of air travel on 60
Canadian breast cancer survivors who were flying to Australia for an International Dragon Boat Festival.
Seventeen of these women were from Edmonton. The study also involved a group of 12 women who
were travelling to the festival from different areas of Australia.
The researchers compared both of the participants' arms, the arm where lymph nodes were removed from
the armpit and the opposite unaffected arm, with a device that can detect subtle changes in fluid difference
between the arms. The measurements were done in Canada before they left and again in Australia when
they arrived.
Findings indicate that 95 per cent of the women had no arm swelling. Four women had a slight increase
but at a follow-up test, done six weeks after the women returned to Canada, three were back to normal
and only one woman was found at possible risk for chronic swelling.
McNeely says that, until now, information about air travel and lymphedema risk has not been based on
solid evidence, but says this research shows that while there is a risk of developing lymphedema during
flight, that risk is very low.
McNeely's research was published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
August 20, 2010 – Breast cancer survivors welcome new insights - U of A researcher into post-surgical
care dismisses long-held precautions which were neither true nor useful - Thandiwe Vela -
EDMONTON - When Sherwood Park resident Ellen Atkinson landed in Brisbane, Australia, after her
first long-haul flight in more than a decade, the first thing she did was check if her right arm, elbow or
knuckles were swelling.
After undergoing breast cancer surgery in 1997, Atkinson, like many others who have had lymph nodes
removed from the armpit during aggressive cancer treatment, was warned pressure changes in an airplane
could trigger lymphedema, chronic swelling in the arm.
"I was certainly relieved and pleased that I was in the majority that did not develop swelling," Atkinson
said of a University of Alberta study that found of 60 Canadian breast cancer survivors measured before
and after flying to Australia, 95 per cent of them experienced no arm swelling.
The findings, by U of A researcher Margie McNeely and an Australian research team, debunk long-
standing precautions about the risk of developing lymphedema, a risk that has been pegged in some
scientific literature as high as 30 per cent for breast cancer survivors.
"There is a risk, but it's a much smaller risk than we had anticipated," McNeely said, noting of the four
women who did experience swelling, only one woman's swelling persisted. "That's good news for women
who would not fly in the past because they were so afraid of developing this chronic swelling in the limbs,"
McNeely said.
LIVING WITH THE CONDITION
Ardrossan elementary school teacher Ellen Husselby knows firsthand how difficult living with lymphedema
can be, after she developed the condition within weeks of breast cancer surgery in 2002.
The size of her left arm fluctuates, sometimes ballooning so much she's forced to wear a compression
sleeve for weeks, only removing it for showers.
Jewelry and clothing don't fit quite right, her arm can ache, feels heavy and people sometimes stare,
Husselby said.
Then there is the ever-present threat of infection. Something as simple as a hangnail or scratch could send
Husselby to the emergency ward for intravenous antibiotics. "A mosquito bite can cause all sorts of
havoc," Husselby said.
Despite being warned that flying could aggravate her condition, Husselby vacations in Florida and Mexico,
and has flown across the country.
"You have to live," Husselby, 53, said. She has participated in dragon boat racing although was also
warned not to lift anything heavy and to avoid repetitive upper body motion.
"A lot of the recommendations and precautions we give to women with breast cancer have been around
for 20 to 30 years," McNeely said. "Even though surgery techniques have improved and radiation
techniques have improved, our advice hasn't changed."
All of the women in McNeely's study were travelling to Australia to compete in an international dragon
boat racing festival, including Atkinson, a founder of Edmonton's Breast Friends dragon-boat racing team.
As a result, McNeely may conduct further research to determine if the rate of risk is consistent with the
greater breast cancer population, regardless of fitness level.
tvela@thejournal.canwest.com
August 20, 2010 – Flying May Not Increase Risk of Lymphedema for Breast Cancer Survivors - Denise
DeWitt -
Women who have had lymph nodes removed in connection with breast cancer surgery are often warned
that flying in an airplane can cause dangerous swelling known as lymphedema. But a new study indicates
those warnings may be out-of-date.
Lymph is a fluid in the body that helps fight illness. It travels throughout the body in special tubes and
collects in glands or pockets known as lymph nodes. Lymph nodes can become swollen, often because
they are helping fight an infection. Most lymph nodes are found in the head and neck region of the body.
There are also many lymph nodes in the armpits and groin area.
When a person has breast cancer, cancer cells can separate from the tumor and migrate to the lymph
nodes in the arm pit area. Because the lymph system runs throughout the body, it is possible for cancer to
quickly spread through the lymph system. To help prevent the spread of cancer, lymph nodes in the arm
pit are often surgically removed along with a breast cancer tumor.
When the lymph system is damaged, including when surgery is done to remove some of the nodes or
during radiation treatments for cancer, the area around the missing nodes may start to collect extra fluid.
This kind of fluid build-up in the arms or legs is known as lymphedema.
Part of the standard treatment for breast cancer survivors includes warnings about the risks of
lymphedema. Women are often warned that flying in an airplane can trigger lymphedema in the arm due to
changes in air pressure in the airplane cabin. But a new study at the University of Alberta revealed that
only 5 percent of women who fly after breast cancer treatment are at risk of developing any swelling in the
arm as a result of the flight.
Researcher Margie McNeely teamed up with researchers in Australia to study 60 breast cancer survivors
who were flying from Canada to Australia. Another group of 12 women in the study flew from one part of
Australia to another part. Researchers took measurements in Canada before the flight began and
compared the amount of fluid in each woman’s arm after the flight landed in Australia.
The study showed that 95 percent of the women had no swelling in their arms.
Four women had a slight amount of fluid retention, but six weeks after they returned to Canada, three of
the four were back to normal. The one remaining woman appeared to be at risk for continued chronic
swelling after flying.
McNeely said that previous beliefs about the risk of swelling were not based on solid evidence. The
results of this study indicate that while there is some risk of lymphedema for breast cancer survivors when
flying, that risk is actually very low.
The results of this study were published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. If you have
questions about the risks of lymphedema, talk to your doctor.
August 21, 2010 - Breast Friends row for science - Local boat team helps breast cancer breakthrough -
Kevin Ma -
Local dragon-boaters and scientists have busted a myth about plane rides, swollen arms and breast
cancer.
Margie McNeely, a professor of physiotherapy at the University of Alberta, released the results of her
study on lymphedema and air travel at Edmonton’s Louise McKinney Riverfront Park on Thursday. The
study was done with the help of the Breast Friends dragon boat team, a group of breast cancer survivors
from the Capital region.
Women with breast cancer often are warned that plane rides can cause chronic swelling in their arms,
McNeely says, a condition called lymphedema. That warning has been around for decades, but has never
actually been tested.
McNeely and her team decided to test this theory three years ago on women flying to a dragon-boat
regatta in Queensland, Australia, some of whom were from the Breast Friends group.
They measured the arms of 60 Canadian and 12 Australian women before and after their flight. Of those,
just four women showed any signs of swelling after the trip, and only one woman showed signs of
permanent swelling.
This means the risks of air travel to breast cancer survivors isn’t as great as we thought, McNeely says.
“There is a risk with flying, but that risk is really quite small.”
Lymphedema is the permanent, often painful swelling in the limbs of people who have been treated for
cancer.
Fluid gets shuttled around the body by the veins and the lymphatic system, McNeely says. “It’s almost like
our sewage system.” Since cancer often spreads through lymph nodes and vessels, doctors remove lymph
nodes from the armpits of women with breast cancer to see if it has spread. That damages the women’s
biological sewer system, causing their arms to swell with fluid.
You can see the results in Bernadette Giblin, a librarian at Sturgeon Heights School, St. Albert resident
and Breast Friends member. Her left arm is about a half-centimetre thicker than her right. “Sometimes it
swells up and I can’t wear my shirt, I can’t wear my jacket,” she says. Compression bandages help, but
the swelling never goes away. “It’s painful.”
For the last few decades, McNeely says, doctors have long thought that pressure changes during long
flights could cause lymphedema by reducing pressure on lymph vessels — that’s why they’ve been telling
women to wear pressure bandages.
McNeely’s team used measuring tape and a bioelectrical impedance analyser (which checks electrical
resistance) to track swelling in the women’s arms before and after the flight. They found that 95 per cent
of them showed no difference in arm size. They concluded that the risk of air travel worsening or causing
lymphedema was pretty low, and that wearing a compression bandage was unlikely to cause or prevent it.
Doctors’ advice hasn’t kept up with the times, McNeely says. “Our surgical techniques have improved,
our radiation therapy techniques have improved, but our advice has stayed the same,” she says. “We may
be worrying ladies more than we need to be about the risks associated with flying.”
Boat power
Dragon-boaters are very fit, McNeely says, which might have made them more resistant to lymphedema.
She says she hopes to do a follow-up study to see if these results apply to all women.
Research by Vancouver’s Don McKenzie shows that upper-body exercise, particularly dragon-boating,
can help women manage lymphedema, Giblin says. “It’s been an integral part of my recovery,” she says of
the sport.
The study was published in the April 2010 issue of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. The Breast
Friends team will be racing this weekend in the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival.
August 22, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot to Show Solaris Compression Products at Québec Lymphedema
Seminar -
Lymphedema Depot will be showing the Solaris line of lymphedema care products at the Québec
conference on therapeutic compression hosted by the Lymphedema Association of Québec and Clinique
médical et sportive Régina Assumpta on September 30, 2010
St. Catharines, Canada, August 22, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Lymphedema Depot Ltd. will be presenting
Solaris compression products at the conference titled “Take Charge of Your Lymphedema; A Guide to
the Use of Compression,” a bilingual information conference with simultaneous interpretation. The
conference will take place on Monday August 30, 2010, in Montréal and is sponsored by the
Lymphedema Association of Québec and Clinique médicale et sportive Régina Assumpta. There is no
charge for attendance.
“We’re excited about this because this is the first time we will be personally showing Solaris products in
Québec. We are looking forward to this important conference on compression, and we thank the
Lymphedema Association of Québec and Clinique médicale et sportive Régina Assumpta for sponsoring
this unique event,” said John Mulligan, co-founder and Clinical Specialist and resident therapist at
Lymphedema Depot Ltd.
There will be pre-conference workshops devoted to the practical side of therapeutic compression for
lymphedema management in the afternoon. After the pre-conference workshops there will be refreshments
and an opportunity to view the products put on display by the exhibitors.
At the conference there will be a panel of speakers and a moderator, followed by a Question Period,
allowing for interaction between the audience and the speakers.
The welcoming remarks will be made by Rachel Pritzker, President of the Lymphedema Association of
Quebec. The conference will be moderated by Michel Eid, MT, CDT, Instructor, Vodder School
International. Featured speakers will be:
Dr. Christian Schuchhardt, co-editor of the manual Lymphedema, Diagnosis & Therapy;
Dr. Anna Towers, Director MUHC (McGill University Health Centre) Lymphedema Clinic and Director
of the McGill University Lymphedema Research Program;
Robert Harris, Director, Vodder School International;
Monica Coggiola, PT, Instructor, Vodder School International;
Dorit Tidhar, MSc PT, Creator of Aqua Lymphatic Therapy, Tidhar Method; Educational Coordinator,
MUHC (McGill University Health Centre) Lymphedema Clinic.
The Lymphedema Association of Québec is a charitable organization founded in 1999 to provide
education, awareness, and support to those with lymphedema, and to encourage research leading to
effective treatments and eventually a cure. Find out more at http://www.infolympho.ca
Lymphedema Depot is a Canadian company dedicated to bringing new options in lymphedema care
products to Canada. We are the exclusive Canadian distributor of the Solaris line of medical compression
garments for the management of lymphatic and venous edemas. Find out more at http://www.
LymphedemaDepot.com.
Contact: John Mulligan at john@LymphedemaDepot.com
August 23, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot Announces New Solaris Silver Liners - Wire Service Canada
(press release) -
Solaris, manufacturers of the Tribute, Caresia Bandage Liners, Swell Spots and ReadyWrap inelatic
medical binders, has introduced Solaris Silver Liners, a comfortable sock that contains silver fibres to
increase comfort when wearing compression garments for lymphedema, lipedema, chronic venous
insufficiency and other chronic swelling conditions. The Solaris Silver Liners are now available in Canada
exclusively from Lymphedema Depot Ltd.
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada---Lymphedema Depot is happy to announce the new Silver Liner from
Solaris. Lymphedema Depot now carries the Solaris Silver Liner, which has been designed specifically to
be worn under compression garments. The Solaris Silver Liners are manufactured with a blend of
materials that result in a soft, comfortable and breathable fabric with anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-
static properties due to the presence of the highly regarded X-Static brand silver fibres.
Wearing the Silver Liner increases comfort and protects the material of compression garments from direct
contact with the skin. The Solaris Silver Liners help to extend the life of the product and keep the
compression garment fresher longer. Compression garments are often needed to treat lymphedema,
lipedema, chronic venous insufficiency and other chronic swelling conditions.
As an introductory offer, for a limited time, Lymphedema Depot will supply the Silver Liner at no
additional charge with every ReadyWrap Inelastic Medical Binder ordered. Silver Liners are also
available separately.
For more information about this and other Solaris products in Canada contact lymphedema Depot at 905-
687-8500 or visit our website at http://www.lymphedemadepot.com. To keep current with product
updates and news visit our blog at http://lymphedemadepot.com/blog.
Contact: info@LymphedemaDepot.com
John Mulligan RMT/CLT-LANA, Clinical Specialist, Lymphedema Depot Ltd
August 23, 2010 - Breast cancer survivors can take planes - UPI.com -
EDMONTON, Alberta, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- A Canadian researcher says breast cancer survivors need not
fear air travel because of fear of lymphedema -- swelling in the arm.
Margie McNeely of the University of Alberta in Edmonton says women who've had breast cancer surgery
where lymph nodes have been removed are often warned changes in airplane cabin pressure could trigger
chronic swelling in the arm called lymphedema.
However, McNeely says 95 percent of these women will not have any arm swelling.
McNeely, Sharon Kilbreath of the University of Sydney in Australia and colleagues conducted a study
that found 5 percent of women with lymph nodes removed developed any arm swelling when flying. Of
these four women, three were back to normal when tested six weeks after the flight and one woman was
found at possible risk for chronic swelling.
The study included 60 Canadian breast cancer survivors flying to Australia to attend a festival and 12
women coming to the festival from different areas of Australia.
Tests were made of both arms -- both when leaving and upon arrival -- using a device that detected subtle
fluid difference changes between the unaffected arm and the one from which lymph nodes were removed.
The study is published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
Wound Management Technologies' CellerateRX(R) Activated Collagen(TM) Debuts at the South African
Diabetic Foot Working Group Congress in Cape Town - MarketWatch - August 18, 2010
August 26, 2010 - Breast-Cancer Survivors Told Air Flying Does Not Raise Lymphedema Risk -
Massage Magazine –
Lymph therapy, or lymphatic drainage, is a type of therapy often practiced by massage therapists. The
therapy assists lymphedema patients by addressing fluid retention and swelling through very gentle strokes
and specific protocols that sometimes include taping or bandaging.
For many years, breast-cancer survivors have been warned that air travel could result in lymphedema.
But new research indicates certain precautions about the risk of lymphedema for breast-cancer survivors
are outdated.
University of Alberta researcher Margie McNeely says women who have had breast-cancer surgery are
often warned that pressure changes in an airplane cabin could trigger lymphedema, or chronic swelling in
the arm; however, the study she did with an Australian research team showed that only five per cent of
breast-cancer survivors are likely at risk of developing any arm swelling when flying, according to a
University of Alberta press release.
The caution about lymphedema risk is for women who have had lymph nodes removed from the armpit, a
common procedure during breast-cancer treatment. Because these lymph nodes help drain fluid when they
are removed, there is the potential for chronic swelling—still, the research indicates the risk of developing
lymphedema by these women is low.
McNeely teamed up with Australian researcher Sharon Kilbreath to study the effect of air travel on 72
breast-cancer survivors.
The researchers compared both of the participants' arms, the arm where lymph nodes were removed from
the armpit and the opposite unaffected arm, with a device that can detect subtle changes in fluid difference
between the arms, the press release noted. The measurements were done prior to and after the air travel.
Findings indicate that 95 per cent of the women had no arm swelling. Four women had a slight increase
but at a follow-up test, done six weeks after the women returned to Canada, three were back to normal
and only one woman was found at possible risk for chronic swelling.
McNeely says that, until now, information about air travel and lymphedema risk has not been based on
solid evidence, but says this research shows that while there is a risk of developing lymphedema during
flight, that risk is very low.
This research was published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
August 26, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot Announces New Solaris Silver Liners –
Lymphedema Depot is happy to announce the new Silver Liner from Solaris, Inc.
Lymphedema Depot now carries the Solaris Silver Liner, which has been designed specifically to be worn
under compression garments. The Solaris Silver Liners are manufactured with a blend of materials that
result in a soft, comfortable and breathable fabric with anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-static
properties due to the presence of the highly regarded X-Static brand silver fibres.
Wearing the Silver Liner increases comfort and protects the material of compression garments from direct
contact with the skin. The Solaris Silver Liners help to extend the life of the product and keep the
compression garment fresher longer. Compression garments are often needed to treat lymphedema,
lipedema, chronic venous insufficiency and other chronic swelling conditions.
As an introductory offer, for a limited time, Lymphedema Depot will supply the Silver Liner at no
additional charge with every ReadyWrap Inelastic Medical Binder ordered. Silver Liners are also
available separately.
For more information about this and other Solaris products in Canada contact lymphedema Depot at 905-
687-8500 or visit our website at http://www.lymphedemadepot.com. To keep current with product
updates and news visit our blog at http://lymphedemadepot.com/blog.
Contact: info@LymphedemaDepot.com
John Mulligan RMT/CLT-LANA, Clinical Specialist, Lymphedema Depot Ltd
John@LymphedemaDepot.com
August 26. 2010 - New Cancer Center Offers Comprehensive Care - South Bend Tribune –
On August 4, 2010, patient, physicians and community members gathered to celebrate the ribbon cutting
of the now open $15 million, 50,000 square-foot Michiana Hematology Oncology (MHO) regional
cancer center.
Traditionally, patients have had to travel to different locations to receive the various services they need to
fight cancer. MHO's new regional cancer center is the first in the region to offer cancer care that is truly
comprehensive.
"This new regional comprehensive cancer center will have everything a cancer patient will ever need," said
Bilal Ansari, MD, medical oncologist for Michiana Hematology Oncology and Medical Director of
Inpatient Oncology Services at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center.
SJRMC has partnered with MHO in the delivery of state-of-the-art Radiation Therapy at the new cancer
center, including the region's first and only linear accelerator with "rapid arc" technology and respiratory
gaiting. This technology delivers more precise treatments much faster than other technologies, and allows
for pinpoint accuracy of radiation directly at the tumor site.
Beyond radiation therapy, SJRMC also wanted to provide a host of additional services to assist patients
in their battle against cancer including:
Cancer Research - In partnership with the Northern Indiana Cancer Research Consortium (NICRC), we
aggressively enroll patients in research trials to ensure the latest medications and treatments are available
to our community.
Genetics & Risk Assessment Center - The only one of its kind in the region, the Genetics and Risk
Assessment Center at Saint Joseph Cancer Institute helps recently diagnosed cancer patients determine
the likelihood that their cancer is inherited. This information helps patients and their families develop
customized screening recommendations to better protect themselves from cancer in the future.
Lymphedema Program - Patients who have been diagnosed with certain types of cancer sometimes suffer
an increased risk for developing lymphedema. The Lymphedema Clinic at Saint Joseph Regional Medical
Center works closely with Michiana Hematology Oncology and is specially trained to provide treatments
for lymphedema that are sensitive to the needs of cancer patients.
Patient Navigators - The fight against cancer is often daunting and overwhelming, especially in the
beginning. To help reduce anxiety, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center nurse navigators serve as
liaisons for patients in today's complex healthcare system, helping to answer questions, schedule
appointments and tests, fill out forms, and connect patients with additional resources and support services.
Women's Task Force - Founded in 2001, the Women's Task Force of Saint Joseph Regional Medical
Center is an all-volunteer group of women cancer survivors who develop health programs and initiatives
that promote early detection, treatment options, supportive care and survivorship for women in Michiana.
Web site/Related Links
Click here to visit the MHO Web site.
More Info
The new MHO Cancer Center is located across the street from the SJRMC hospital at 5340 Holy Cross
Parkway in Mishawaka, Indiana. Call 574-237-1328.
August 26, 2010 - Charlotte Hungerford's Center for Cancer Care breaks ground for expansion -
Torrington Register Citizen - By MIKE AGOGLIATI –
TORRINGTON — Charlotte Hungerford Hospital broke ground for a building that will house a new
machine to help cancer patients in the coming months.
Construction recently began on a 2,200 square foot addition to the current ground floor radiation
oncology treatment area.
The Center For Cancer Care, located at 200 Kennedy Drive, will accommodate a new linear accelerator
capable of delivering image guided radiation therapy (IGRT).
According to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital officials, the program has also added lymphedema evaluation
and treatment to the menu of complementary therapies and services offered to cancer patients and their
families.
The added service for cancer patients affected with lymphedema — a condition of chronic swelling and
tissue inflammation as a result of some surgery and cancer treatments, will be offered on Fridays from 1 to
5 p.m. at the center.
The addition will house the vault for the center’s new linear accelerator and several additional associated
ancillary rooms including a control area, nursing area, patient waiting area and changing rooms, restrooms,
and a mechanical room.
The project also includes a new back entrance, an expansion of the center’s back parking area, and
renovations to existing space to make patient flow and patient privacy more efficient.
“We are so pleased to offer our patients local access to the best and most comprehensive therapy and
treatment approaches available today,” said Elizabeth Whalen, MD, a radiation oncologist at Charlotte
Hungerford Hospital.
The center plans to take delivery and install a new Elekta Infinity linear accelerator in early spring 2011.
Robert Taylor, the center’s chief therapist, said the addition of the new device will make it easier to treat
patients because it offers imaging similar to a CT Scan.
“Technology is always moving forward,” Taylor said. “The new machine will give us the availability to take
a CT scan slice from the patient and spot where the cancer is in soft tissue.”
Taylor said 99 percent of cancers occur in soft tissue, and the machine will be able to narrow down the
target area for treatment to a more exact location.
“We will be able to give the patient a higher dose for treatment, which will lead to better cure rates,”
Taylor said. “This can also lead to less short-term and less long-term side effects from treatment.”
Since the IGRT machine is being installed in a new area, patients undergoing current radiation treatments
throughout the construction phase will have uninterrupted service.
The entire center will stay in continuous operation up until and including when the additional treatment
modality is offered.
“We are delighted to be able to bring more and better services to the community,” said hospital president
Dan McIntyre. “This is a significant accomplishment for a community hospital. This is a significant addition
of technology to our cancer center.”
“It is important that patients can stay in the community they are familiar with for treatments,” McIntyre
said. “This will allow them to get the best care without having to travel too far.”
The construction will be ongoing during the next eight months, and the machine should arrive at the center
in April. According to Taylor, everything should be up and running by June 2011.
Mike Agogliati can be reached by e-mail at magogliati@registercitizen.com.
August 28, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot Offers Solaris Foot and Lower Leg Swelling Solutions in Canada
- John Mulligan -
Foot care is a growing field of professional healthcare service that is just starting to come into its own as a
profession in Canada. Lymphedema Depot, in partnership with Solaris Inc., is getting involved by offering
a line of unique foot care garments that make life easier for all concerned. From the Solaris Tribute to
Caresia footwear, ReadyWrap inelastic medical binders and the new Solaris Silver Liner socks, products
from Lymphedema Depot deliver a wider range of options than ever before.
St. Catharines, Ontario---Foot care is a wide-ranging and complex field of service. As a discipline it can
encompass everything from full-service foot-care clinics with a resident chiropodist or podiatrist, to the
visiting nurse who provides basic foot care in the patient’s home. In any setting the practitioner is likely to
see dependent edema, swelling due to chronic venous insufficiency and diabetic feet.
Lymphedema Depot carries a line of products manufactured in the US by Solaris, Inc., that can help
address these problems. Healing is highly dependent on healthy micro-circulation and resolution of edema
and micro-edemas, and the Solaris products are designed to assist in these processes.
Caresia footwear encompasses the whole foot to a few centimetres above the ankles. The seams are on
the outside to prevent irritation. The Caresia footwear features sewn channels filled with chipped foam on
all surfaces, including the sole. This creates soft pressure differentials that positively affect micro-circulation
in the tissues. Swelling is addressed and softened and circulation is gently encouraged. They can be worn
to address many forms of edema affecting the foot and ankle. They are also gentle enough to complement
wound dressings for lower extremity ulcers to assist in avoiding lymphostasis and encouraging the healing
process.
Caresia is also available in lower leg wear, covering the feet and extending to just below the knees. For
swelling related to chronic venous insufficiency or dependent swelling that extends above the ankles, the
Caresia lower leg garment provides an effective light variable compression. The compression can be
tailored with short stretch bandaging if higher levels of compression are needed. It can be worn overnight
to help manage chronic swelling or during the day around the house for more comprehensive needs.
For foot and lower leg swelling associated with lymphedema, venous insufficiency and other conditions
Lymphedema Depot also offers the Solaris ReadyWrap line of products. ReadyWraps are inelastic
medical binders that offer distinct advantages in controlling swelling. They create a rigid barrier to contain
swelling of the foot and lower leg, yet they are comfortable, breathable and skin friendly. ReadyWraps are
also low profile garments, allowing the wearer to wear shoes and trousers normally. They are available in
a toes-to-ankle foot unit as well as a separate ankle-to-below-knee leg unit.
Lymphedema Depot also now carries the Solaris Silver Liner, a sock which has been designed specifically
to be worn under compression garments. The Silver Liners are manufactured with a blend of materials that
result in a soft, comfortable and breathable fabric with anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-static
properties due to the presence of the highly regarded X-Static brand silver fibres.
Wearing the Silver Liner increases comfort and protects the material of compression garments from direct
contact with the skin. The Solaris Silver Liners help to and keep the compression garment fresher longer.
Lymphedema Depot Ltd. is a Canadian company dedicated to bringing new options in lymphedema care
products to Canada. We are the exclusive Canadian importer and distributor of the Solaris line of
compression garments for the treatment of lymphatic and venous edemas. Solaris, Inc. has been
manufacturing premium medical garments in the U.S. for over a decade, designed for patients living with
swelling and swelling related conditions such as lymphedema and venous insufficiency. Solaris’ garments
are warranted and use proven components to keep patients comfortable and free from worry. Solaris
takes pride in being at the forefront of technology and constantly evolving, often times based on customer
feedback and suggestions. Lymphedema Depot and Solaris both strive to make the management of
lymphedema less complex, more effective, and ultimately easier for patients.
Learn more about Solaris lymphedema and swelling-control products by visiting www.
LymphedemaDepot.com. If you have any questions, feel free to call us any time at 905-687-8500, or
email us at info@LymphedemaDepot.com. We are always happy to hear from you.
August 30, 2010 - Treating lymphedema at Piedmont Hospital - Therapists help patients ‘get on with their
lives' - Atlanta Journal Constitution - Laura Raines -
There’s no cure for lymphedema — the accumulation of lymphatic fluid that causes harmful swelling in
limbs and other parts of the body — but there is help.
Five therapists at Piedmont Hospital’s rehabilitation department work with lymphedema patients to help
them manage their condition and gain a better quality of life.
“Lymphedema is like diabetes in that there are ways to get it under control,” said DeCourcy Squire, PT,
CLT-LANA, CI-CS, a physical therapist and lymphedema specialist/instructor. “We use the protocol —
complete decongestive therapy — which is recognized internationally as the most effective protocol.”
Lymphedema therapy consists of manual lymphatic drainage, bandaging, proper skin care, diet,
compression garments and remedial exercises.
“Each patient’s therapy is individualized, depending on the severity of their condition, what other medical
problems they might have and how active and mobile they are,” Squire said.
Patients can be born with or develop primary lymphedema because of defects in the lymphatic system.
Other people acquire secondary lymphedema as a result of surgery, radiation, infection or trauma (such as
a car accident). Those at a higher risk for lymphedema include people who have had surgery and radiation
to treat breast cancer and other types of cancers, melanoma surgery or who have had lymph nodes
removed.
Specially trained therapists treat patients during daily two- to four-hour sessions for four to eight weeks.
“When you get a patient who has suffered for five years without any treatment and they see results in a
week, it’s very exciting,” Squire said. “It’s inspiring for therapists because you can see a difference. You
know you’re making an impact and helping people get on with their lives.”
A physical therapist since 1989, Squire didn’t learn how to care for lymphedema patients when she was in
school.
“I learned about it through a continuing education class and went on to become certified in 1992,” she said.
It takes 135 hours of specialized course work, a year working in the field and a passing grade on a
national exam to become certified through the Lymphology Association of North America.
Squire has practiced in the lymphedema program at Piedmont since 2002. Working with the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, she has trained health care workers in Haiti, where filariasis (a disease
transmitted by infected mosquitoes that dilates the lymph system) leads to a high incidence of
lymphedema. “It was a wonderful experience and I hope to do more work there. It’s a great thing to feel
useful,” she said. With more research being done on the lymphatic system, lymphedema awareness is
growing.
Yet there are still people who don’t understand it or recognize it, said Gwen Forbes-Kirby, PT, CLT-
LANA, a therapist in the Piedmont Hospital program. “We had a patient who was told that her hand
wasn’t all that swollen, but you couldn’t even see the tendons,” she said.
A physical therapist for 25 years, Forbes-Kirby knew it was lymphedema and helped the patient. “Even
though I know how the therapy works, every time I take a bandage off, it’s like the first time. I’m always
amazed,” she said.
Forbes-Kirby helped start the women’s center at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children in
Honolulu, when her husband was stationed there in the mid 1990s.
A breast cancer survivor, Judy Muncaster, made it possible for Forbes-Kirby to get lymphedema therapy
training. “She had breast cancer and developed lymphedema, but because she was a flight attendant, she
could fly to the mainland for treatment,” Forbes-Kirby said. “When she recognized that the treatment was
not available in the islands, she wrote a grant that sent me to Australia for training. “For a while there, I
was the only person in the Pacific Islands trained to do the therapy, and my patients came from all over.
That taught me that one person can make a significant change.”
At Piedmont, Forbes-Kirby established the Maximal Reach program for breast cancer patients. “We let
them know their risks after surgery and radiation, follow them through their treatment and help them get
back to their normal activities,” she said.
For patients who already have gone through surgery, hair loss and side effects from chemotherapy and
radiation treatment, developing lymphedema can be overwhelming. Forbes-Kirby is excited that
researchers are looking for a genetic component to primary lymphedema. “This is an amazing field, and
we’re seeing changes every day,” she said.
The therapists at Piedmont work closely with the Lighthouse Lymphedema Network, a national
organization that spreads the word about lymphedema and supports patients.
Educating patients and the public about lymphedema is a big part of the job, especially with a growing
population and an increasing number of cancer survivors, said Jackie Echols, OTR/L, CSLT, a clinician
with the lymphedema program at Piedmont. “Lymphedema patients come with many challenges,” she said.
“Getting compression garments on swollen limbs is a task, but then occupational therapists are the queens
of creating adaptive equipment.”
The job requires hands-on, physical work. Lifting and wrapping the swollen limbs of 200-pound patients
isn’t easy, but seeing their relief is worth it, Echols said. “When we take the bandages off, the limb is
smaller and not so heavy or hot,” she said. “The skin is supple, less tight and the discomfort is greatly
reduced. Our patients are so grateful.
“We spend about a quarter of our time on skin care, because obese patients can get infections easily. We
work closely with our wound-care specialists and see a lot of complicated cases here.”
Not every hospital has a lymphedema program, and even fewer have five certified specialists. “This is the
best group of people I’ve ever worked with,” Forbes-Kirby said. “We’re all doing something we really
love, and we get ideas from one another. There’s a great synergy here that helps our patients.”
August 30, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot Offers Solaris Foot and Lower Leg Swelling Solutions in Canada
- Prudent Press Agency –
Foot care is a wide-ranging and complex field of service. As a discipline it can encompass everything from
full-service foot-care clinics with a resident chiropodist or podiatrist, to the visiting nurse who provides
basic foot care in the patient’s home. In any setting the practitioner is likely to see dependent edema,
swelling due to chronic venous insufficiency and diabetic feet.
Lymphedema Depot carries a line of products manufactured in the US by Solaris, Inc., that can help
address these problems. Healing is highly dependent on healthy micro-circulation and resolution of edema
and micro-edemas, and the Solaris products are designed to assist in these processes.
August 30, 2010 - The Claim: Flying After Breast Cancer Surgery Can Cause Swelling - New York
Times - ANAHAD O'CONNOR -
THE FACTS Women who have had surgery to remove lymph nodes, a common breast cancer treatment,
are often warned that flying can lead to lymphedema, a painful swelling, in their arms.
The concern is that changes in cabin pressure might influence the movement of fluid in the lymphatic
system. Because lymph nodes drain this fluid, the thinking goes, it could more easily accumulate in a
person’s affected arm. But when scientists looked at the effects of air travel on breast cancer survivors in
a recent study, they found that the risk was small. In the study, published in the journal Breast Cancer
Research and Treatment, the scientists followed and examined 72 women in the weeks before and after
air travel. Most of the women were flying between Canada and Australia. All but a few had no arm
swelling after their time in the air, and only one showed possible signs of chronic swelling six weeks later.
Dr. Patrick Borgen, director of breast cancer services at the Maimonides Cancer Center in Brooklyn,
who was not involved in the research, said the findings were interesting but not definitive.
For patients who have had only one or two nodes removed, he said, there is no risk in flying; women who
undergo complete removal, and particularly those with higher levels of body fat, should still consult their
doctors beforehand. “The No. 1 predictor of who gets lymphedema is the size of the arm to start with,” he
said. “Women who have a larger arm size should still be careful, and I think there’s still some value in
wearing a compressive sleeve on long flights.”
August 31, 2010 - THE BOTTOM LINE The risk of lymphedema from flying appears to be small. Rivers
Cancer Center offers cancer education & support meetings - River Falls Journal -
The Rivers Cancer Center will be hosting support and educational gatherings to adults facing cancer, as
well as friends and family who want to learn more and connect with others on this unexpected journey.
These free meetings will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. every other Wednesday on Sept. 15, 29, Oct. 13, 27,
Nov. 10 at River Falls Area Hospital. Each session has a unique focus and participants may come to one
session or attend all in the series.
Meeting topics will include cancer basics, treatment and prevention, symptom management, nutrition,
exercise and wellness, lymphedema, alternative healing, resources and the role of the American Cancer
Society.
Each session will begin with a guest speaker, have time for questions, and end with an opportunity to
connect with others around the challenges of cancer.
For additional information or questions please contact Amy Cernohous, RN or Kathy Hogberg, MSW at
715-425-6155
August 31, 2010 - Pathology experts to evaluate medical, surgical breast cancer treatment at World
Senologyc Congress - News-Medical.net -
Spain will held the 16th World Senologyc Congress between the 20th and 22nd of October. This meeting
will allow doctors to evaluate the progress achieved in medical and surgical breast cancer treatment and its
future challenges. The best time to rebuilding breasts, how to preserve patients' fertility, the use of nodes
self-transplant to treat lymphedema, the develop of new molecular targets and the use of stem cells will be
some of the key issues to be treated during the congress.
Over 1.500 breast pathology experts will meet between the 20th and 22nd of October in the 16th World
Congress of the Senologic International Society (SIS). This meeting and the 29th Congress of the Spanish
Society of Senology and Breast Diseases (SESPM) will take place in the Valencia, coinciding with the
International Breast Cancer Day.
According to Dr. Carlos Vázquez, president of the SIS and the SESPM, "this meeting will allow us to
update the new advances in breast surgery, specially regarding to the sentinel node biopsy, and to study in
depth the latest breast immediate rebuilding techniques and radiotherapy standards". "We will also have
the chance to asses with worldwide renowned experts about the radiology diagnosis methodology and its
possible uses in life surgery", he adds.
From a socio-sanitary point of view, the congress' members will evaluate the efficacy of breast cancer
screening using mammography and they will check the results obtain by the hospital breast units in terms of
survival and quality of life. These structures allow patients to receive a complete and multidisciplinary
management of their tumor.
On the other hand, according to Dr. Vicente Guillem, president of the Congress Scientific Committee,
experts will also approach other interesting issues for patients' quality of life such as: the best time and best
technique to undergo rebuilding surgery after a mastectomy; the chances for young patients to preserve the
possibilities of getting pregnant in the future or the potential impact of pregnancy induction therapies. Other
matters to study will be translational research in breast cancer -as lymphatic gland self-transplant to treat
lymphedema, one of the most common consequences of surgery- the assessment of new molecular targets
to develop more efficient and personalized treatments.
Many wellknown worldwide experts will attend to this Congress such as Prof. Veronessi, from Milan,
Prof. Cezap, from Buenos Aires, Prof. Masia, from Barcelona, Prof. Muggia and Cordón-Cardo, both
from New York, among others.
August 31, 2010 - Risk small in flying after breast cancer surgery - The Detroit News - Anahad
O'Connor / New York Times -
Women who have had surgery to remove lymph nodes, a common breast cancer treatment, are often
warned that flying can lead to lymphedema, a painful swelling, in their arms.
The concern is that changes in cabin pressure might influence the movement of fluid in the lymphatic
system. Because lymph nodes drain this fluid, the thinking goes, it could more easily accumulate in a
person's affected arm. But when scientists looked at the effects of air travel on breast cancer survivors in a
recent study, they found that the risk was small. In the study, published in the journal Breast Cancer
Research and Treatment, the scientists followed and examined 72 women in the weeks before and after
air travel. Most of the women were flying between Canada and Australia.
All but a few had no arm swelling after their time in the air, and only one showed possible signs of chronic
swelling six weeks later.
Dr. Patrick Borgen, director of breast cancer services at the Maimonides Cancer Center in New York,
who was not involved in the research, said the findings were interesting but not definitive.
For patients who have had only one or two nodes removed, he said, there is no risk in flying; women who
undergo complete removal, and particularly those with higher levels of body fat, should still consult their
doctors beforehand.
In 1992, Barbara Sarah was diagnosed with breast cancer. Along with standard treatments, the social
worker decided to explore all her health-care options.
"I began to look into things like Chinese herbs, acupuncture, and I also changed my diet in order to boost
my immune system," Sarah said. "It really helped my healing process and changed my life."
After learning so much about comprehensive health care, Sarah wanted to share this information with
others. A few years later, she founded the Oncology Support Program at Benedictine Hospital in
Kingston. Part of Sarah's mission was to educate people about all types of healing modalities.
"I had a real passion to help people acquire all the information I had," she said.
Sarah incorporated a wide variety of activities in the support program, including complementary
treatments, counseling, the arts, meditation and more.
"It's the idea that people are not just their diagnosis — they are an individual with many facets, including
the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical," she said.
For a long time, Sarah wanted to involve physicians in holistic health-care initiatives. Last fall, her vision
became reality when she met Dr. Samira Khera, a breast surgeon in Kingston. Khera deals with all sorts
of breast issues for women and men.
"Samira understands the value of treating the whole person," Sarah said.
Over the past eight months, Sarah and Khera have built a network of holistic health professionals who
support standard patient care. They've chosen practitioners with various specialties. They call themselves
the Integrated Medicine Network.
"Basically, the reason for the Integrated Medicine Network is to be able to offer something in addition to
standard care which will empower patients with the tools to help optimize their survival," Khera said. "All
the modalities offered are good for anybody. The network is for my cancer survivors, but not exclusive to
them. Anyone can benefit."
The network is composed of 14 health-care practitioners, including a licensed massage therapist, a
nutritionist, an acupuncturist, a yoga teacher, a naturopathic doctor, an energy healer and more.
August 01, 2010 - Beyond the bedsore: recognizing different wound types in long-term care - Julie
Williamson –
In the realm of wound management, pressure ulcers often command the most attention from long-term
care providers. While diligence is undoubtedly necessary, given the prevalence of pressure ulcers and
impact on morbidity and mortality, it's vital providers don't let their guard down on other types of wounds.
But, that's precisely what's happening, experts warn.
“I believe it's happening quite a bit. In some cases, people aren't aware of these other wounds. They may
automatically assume that every wound is a pressure ulcer, which just is not the case,” says Dr. James
Spahn, a retired head and neck surgeon who now serves as CEO/founder of EHOB Inc., an Indianapolis-
based manufacturer of pressure ulcer prevention and treatment products.
Statistics reveal that the prevalence of non-pressure ulcer skin breakdown is indeed significant.
Collectively, more than 600,000 new cases of leg ulcers are diagnosed each year across the general
population, experts say.
Meanwhile, the prevalence of venous wounds in adults is 1% to 2% of the U.S. population and can be as
high as 3.4% in those over age 80, according to the American College of Phlebology. The prevalence rate
for arterial leg wounds can range from 0.12% to 1.8%, according to researchers, and those rates may be
conservative because only 25% of Americans over age 65 who have peripheral arterial disease are
treated for the condition.
Incontinence-related dermatitis, which affects at least 6% of long-term care residents, also must not be
overlooked, along with the 1.5 million skin tears that occur in institutionalized adults each year, many of
them stemming from wheelchair injuries, transfers and falls. Finally, with roughly 23% of those age 60 or
older being diabetic (many of them undiagnosed), diabetic foot ulcers are another major concern. These
wounds account for up to 25% of all diabetic hospital admissions in the United States. They also are
credited for more than 60% of all non-traumatic lower limb amputations, according to the National
Diabetes Education Program.
“Each type of wound can be a real challenge and requires careful attention. Prevention and early diagnosis
is key, and neither will occur without proper training that elevates caregiver knowledge,” notes Chris
Cashman, CEO of Sanuwave, Alpharetta, GA. Sanuwave is a manufacturer of regenerative wound
healing technologies.
Stopping the bleeding
The first and perhaps most critical element of successful wound management and prevention is a
comprehensive, proactive care plan that combines ongoing physiological and risk assessments.
“If we don't take the time to really get to know each resident and their history, we won't know the risk
factors and won't be able to prevent some of these wound problems in the first place,” Spahn stresses.
“Regardless of the wound type, it does really come down to education. Without it, we're in trouble.”
Effective wound management also requires a multidisciplinary approach to ensure that all aspects of a
resident's care are represented.
“You have to treat the whole [resident], not just the hole in the [resident],” Jackie Todd, RN, CWCN,
clinical education specialist for Medline Industries Inc.'s Atlantic Division, reasons. “There are nine body
systems and they all intertwine and affect each other. Everything has to be evaluated for impact on healing.”
Ideally, a multidisciplinary team should include a healthcare provider, such as a physician or advance
practice nurse; administrator and bedside clinicians, dietitians, physical therapists, staff nurses,
occupational therapists, infection control, and educators.
“All should have clearly defined roles,” adds Diane Maydick, director of clinical affairs, Derma Sciences,
Princeton, NJ.
Asking the right questions also is essential, as is diligent documentation and communication to ensure that
all members involved in resident care are well versed on risks, changes to physiological and cognitive
status, and adjustments to medication and other treatment protocols.
Dodging disasters
Taking a proactive approach through detailed assessments, personalized care plans and a team approach
also will reduce the likelihood for wound misdiagnosis—and subsequent mistreatment that can prove
catastrophic.
One example might be a resident with recurrent venous stasis disease, bordering on lymphedema.
Compression must never be applied without first ruling out arterial involvement and a history of congestive
heart failure.
“If peripheral vascular disease exists, or if CHF is a possibility, compression could exacerbate [the
condition] and possibly cause death,” Todd warns.
Using therapies that increase microcirculation in residents who are misdiagnosed with vascular
complications also is dangerous, adds Cashman. “You really need to know what you're dealing with if
you're going to be increasing blood supply.”
Another line of caution when managing arterial wounds: Never raise the foot.
“About the worst thing you can do with an arterial wound is prop it up, which can cause the toes to rot,”
and lead to amputation, Spahn explains.
Diabetic foot ulcers present their own set of challenges. In some cases, these are misdiagnosed as
pressure ulcers—even though a prior diabetes diagnosis and location of the foot ulcer (typically on the
plantar aspect of the metatarsal heads and the heel, and over the dorsal portion of the toes), serves as a
reliable tip-off. In other cases, DFUs aren't given the attention they deserve because caregivers may
assume that they are unavoidable.
“In my opinion, it seems that many people just don't understand how serious diabetic foot ulcers are, so
they're not being as serious about treating them,” says Dean Tozer, senior vice president, Advanced
BioHealing Inc., Westport, CT. ABH manufacturers Dermagraft, a bio-engineered skin substitute for the
treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.
And DFUs are serious. Diabetics who develop one have up to a 25% risk for lower limb amputation.
There also is a 45% chance of death within five years, if not properly managed.
With a diabetic resident, it's imperative not only to keep their blood sugar in check, but also to identify
decreased sensation due to diabetic neuropathy and then take appropriate preventive measures to reduce
the risk of diabetic-related ulcers. Such measures may include use of properly fitting stockings and shoes,
and inspection of shoes for foreign objects or potential areas of pressure prior to the resident placing them
on their feet, to prevent traumatic injury, explains Laura Popkes, clinical services manager for McKesson
Medical-Surgical Extended Care Medimart, Minneapolis, MN.
Caregivers also must be aware that peripheral arterial occlusive disease is four times more prevalent in
diabetics than in non-diabetics.
Paper power
Regardless of the type of skin ulcer being treated, detailed, ongoing documentation of risk factors,
comorbidities, wound types, and care and treatment protocols becomes paramount.
“It is imperative to accurately document wound types and patient characteristics. Inaccurate
documentation can lead to legal issues,” stresses Maydick.
Even more importantly, however, thorough documentation allows caregivers to better monitor wound care
progress and make necessary care plan adjustments based on past treatment and prevention successes
and failures. With a diabetic foot ulcer, for example, documentation creates a vital timeline to monitor
standard therapies and determine when advanced modalities may be in order. Above all, documentation
helps ensure that treatment and prevention are tailored to each resident.
“What works on one [resident] will not necessarily work for everyone, even if it is the same type of
wound with basically the same underlying etiology and comorbid conditions,” Todd reasons.
Being fully aware of underlying conditions, additional risk factors and primary and secondary interventions–
along with how long the interventions have been in place and their degree of effectiveness–will go a long
way toward improving wound management.
“In order to achieve quality healed outcomes in the shortest amount of time, we have to step back, look
from that 10,000-foot vantage point, and take a common sense approach to wound care,” Todd
continues.
“Wound care is not rocket science and even though we may be given challenging wounds to deal with, we
can achieve wound healing and not break the bank.”
W.O.U.N.D. protocol helps healing
To manage wounds effectively, Jackie Todd, RN, CWCN, clinical education specialist for Medline
Industries Inc.'s Atlantic Division, recommends long-term care providers follow the W.O.U.N.D.
protocol, which addresses the five principles of wound healing.
W Is the wound healing?
Yes – Continue with treatment and best practice
No – Consider: other etiologies; comorbidities; other modalities; biochemical imbalance; bioburden;
pain, etc.
O Is there an optimal amount of moisture and is there an odor?
Excessive moisture
Desication
Moisture balance
U Understand the peri-wound skin
Edema
Erythema
Adhesive effects
Edges, etc.
N Necrotic, senescent or viable tissue
Necrotic (debride if debridement is consistent with overall patient goal)
Senescent (consider debridement and antimicrobials)
Viable and progressing (provide support )
D Depth or dead space
If deep, fill it
If flat, cover it
August 2, 2010 - From the August 2010 Issue of McKnight's Long Term Care News - Weightlifting
professor attests to health benefits -
Kathryn Schmitz's goal is to weigh at age 50 what she weighed at age 40. So she runs, bikes, does yoga
and, importantly, lifts weights. She is 47 now, and just six pounds shy of her aim.
At 5-foot-10, Schmitz, who lives in Merion with her two boys, carries those pounds invisibly, and it's easy
to believe that for five years in her 20s, she was a dancer in New York, including a spell with the Martha
Graham Dance Ensemble. For another five years, she was a personal trainer and manager of the Salomon
Brothers executive fitness center in the erstwhile World Trade Center.
When clients began asking her questions she couldn't answer, she went back to school, earning a master's
degree in exercise science from Queens College of the City University of New York. She later added a
doctorate in exercise physiology and a master's in public health, both from the University of Minnesota.
Her broad and varied background has enriched her perspective. She considers herself "a crossbreed,"
combining exercise science and an interest in public health in a way that enables her to serve as a sort of
personal trainer to the masses.
She does so from her perch at the University of Pennsylvania, where she is an associate professor in the
department of biostatistics and epidemiology. Her recent work has focused on the effect of exercise on
those recovering from disease, specifically breast cancer survivors.
The form of physical exertion that has attracted her interest, and increasing regard, is resistance exercise,
or, weightlifting. To call it a panacea would be going too far, Schmitz says, but it is certainly an underrated
palliative. "I call it the orphan exercise mode," she says.
In the so-called SHE study (for Strong, Healthy and Empowered), Schmitz and her co-researchers
showed that resistance exercise significantly slowed middle-age weight gain, especially the accumulation of
abdominal or visceral fat, which has been linked to such ills as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood
pressure.
"The obesity epidemic is hard to reverse," Schmitz says. "Instead of trying to look like Halle Berry, let's
reframe success as maintaining your current weight."
In the study, the abdominal fat of wome
n who lifted weights twice a week increased 7 percent over two years. By contrast, the abdominal fat of
women in the control group, who did no strength training, increased by 22 percent.
"You're not going to lose weight by lifting weights," Schmitz emphasizes, "but resistance exercise will help
keep you from gaining more weight."
Weightlifting has this effect because muscle tissue is metabolically active. The more muscle you have, the
more calories you burn, even at rest. Plus, the more muscle you have, Schmitz theorizes, the easier it is to
be physically active. After months of lifting weights, women in the study could carry canoes farther than
their husbands when portaging in Minnesota's lake country.
Resistance exercise is just as beneficial, it turns out, for the nation's 12 million cancer survivors. For years,
the standard advice for cancer patients was to rest and avoid activity. Women recovering from breast
cancer surgery were warned to lift no more than five pounds for fear it might precipitate or aggravate
lymphedema, chronic swelling, usually of the arms or legs, caused by removal of the lymph nodes.
"Women absolutely fear it," Schmitz says. "Some say they'd rather have the other breast removed than get
lymphedema. You can hide a mastectomy, but not a swollen arm."
Schmitz believed the guidelines were too risk-averse and impractical.
"My baby weighed eight pounds. A gallon of milk weighs eight pounds," she says. "When you consider
what resistance exercise does for bone and metabolic health, it doesn't make sense. Exercise improves
your body's ability to handle inflammation, injury, infection and trauma - the basic duties of the lymphatic
system."
Which is exactly what Schmitz's PAL study (for Physical Activity and Lymphedema), published last year,
showed. Not only was weight training safe, it mitigated the worsening of lymphedema by 50 percent.
That and similar findings spurred Schmitz and fellow members of an expert panel convened by the
American College of Sports Medicine recently to declare: "Exercise training is safe during and after cancer
treatments and results in improvements in physical functioning, quality of life, and cancer-related fatigue."
Addie Ford, 74, of Mount Airy, would agree. After a single mastectomy and the removal of 18 lymph
nodes, Ford developed lymphedema. Recruited for the PAL study, she began a regular program of
resistance exercise, which she continues today at a local rec center.
"Weightlifting has given me more control of my life," Ford says. "It keeps the fluids down and has given me
more mobility and upper-body strength. Before, I could lift only one bag of groceries; now I can lift two.
You have more freedom and can do your own thing."
Add Schmitz: "For so long, we've told people to walk or engage in aerobic exercise. If you do only one
thing as an adult getting older, do resistance exercise. At the least, it will keep you strong enough that
you're able to do aerobic exercise."
August 3, 2010 - Stuart massage therapist offers manual lymph node drainage –
STUART — IslandTouch Massage & Spa now is offering manual lymph drainage, a procedure used
before and after surgery to reduce swelling and pain.
Manual lymph drainage is a therapy for lymphedema, a retaining of fluid common among people who have
undergone mastectomy, lymph node removal or other surgeries. The procedure also can benefit people
suffering from sinusitis, puffiness and swelling of the eyes.
Beverly McKinley, the owner/operator of IslandTouch Massage & Spa, 957 S. U.S. 1, recently
completed a four-week course on manual lymph drainage conducted in Austria by an internationally
known specialist. McKinley is licensed massage therapist and certified in therapeutic massage.
For more information, contact IslandTouch Massage & Spa at (772) 286-8699 or visit www.
islandtouchmassage.com.
August 3, 2010 - New imaging technique could help physicians ease the aftermath of breast cancer -
A new study of breast cancer survivors may help physicians ease a common side effect of cancer
treatments. The collaborative research by Eva Sevick, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Molecular
Imaging at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston (UTHSC), and Caroline Fife, M.D.,
Director of the Memorial Herman Wound Care Clinic at UTHSC, could bring relief to millions.
Their paper appears in the inaugural issue of Biomedical Optics Express, an online, open-access journal
published by the Optical Society (OSA). The papers featured in the journal will encompass theoretical
modeling and simulations, technology development, biomedical studies and clinical applications.
A substantial number of breast cancer survivors suffer from lymphedema in the aftermath of their cancer
surgeries. In lymphedema, fluids accumulate in the arms, potentially causing disfiguring and debilitating
swelling that can impact quality of life.
Treatments vary, but they generally consist of using manual and pneumatic therapies to "push" or stimulate
the body to remove excess fluid and reduce tissue swelling. Finding out whether a treatment is working
can take months. That's because the current method of assessing progress is to measure the circumference
or volume of a limb and check for changes in swelling -- and a size change big enough to be measured
takes time.
During this time, the condition might improve - or it might worsen.
The UTHSC research team has developed what promises to be a more sensitive and more immediate
way to monitor the effectiveness of a treatment. Their new near-infrared fluorescence imaging technique
examines the root cause of lymphedema: blockages or damages in the lymphatic system that prevent fluid
from circulating through the body and cause it to pool in the limbs.
"The lymphatics are like the sewer system of your body," says Sevick. "If they get all plugged up, then
there's a flood."
Nine women - six with lymphedema and three controls - were injected with a near-infrared fluorescent
dye that has been used safely for 50 years at much higher dosages. The dye is taken up by the lymphatic
system. When tissue surfaces are exposed to a dim, near-infrared laser - harmless to the human body -
the dye within fluoresces, revealing its transit through the lymphatic system.
"This is the only method that can directly check for improvements in lymphatic function in one sitting,
before and after a treatment," says Sevick.
Physicians have several treatment options for controlling lymphedema. They may use compression
bandages and massage limbs to manually encourage fluids to drain from the arm. Pneumatic compression
devices, sleeves made of segmented chambers that inflate and squeeze, may provide a similar benefit at
home, but they may not always be covered by Medicare reimbursements because of lacking direct
evidence of their benefit.
"The problem is that there has been no good way to measure direct evidence of benefit," says Sevick.
"Hopefully we can use near-infrared fluorescence imaging technique to show improved lymphatic function
from these treatments."
The NIR fluorescence technique detected statistically significant improvements in fluid flow through the
lymphatic system immediately after the use of pneumatic compression devices. A larger follow-up study
will be needed to confirm the results of this pilot study, says Sevick.
More information: The paper "Direct evidence of lymphatic function improvement after advanced
pneumatic compression device treatment of lymphedema" by Kristen E. Adams et al. can be accessed at:
http://www.opticsi … =boe-1-1-114
Provided by Optical Society of America (news : web)
August 4, 2010 - Students display art at the Quay –
Mr. Palmer's Grade 5/6 class at Ridgeway elementary spent a day at Lonsdale Quay Market in May,
each creating a piece of art which reflects their impression of the Quay and its surrounding area.
According to a written statement, the result is 22 individual oil pastel works, entitled Lonsdale Quay.
These works can now be viewed in vacant shop windows on the second level of Lonsdale Quay Market,
and will remain on display throughout the summer.
Lonsdale Quay Market strives to support local and student artists, most recently through the installation
Viewfinder, a sculpture garden on the East Plaza of the market. Other community art works include the
mosaic fountain, entitled Tidal Waves, the mosaic rotunda floor, called Perspectives, and the starfish-
shaped bench on the waterfront plaza, Tidal Encounters.
At the recent 100th anniversary of the naming of King Edward high school, held at the Bayshore Hotel,
two North Shore residents received Lifetime Achievement Awards: Hilary Yates Clark (class of 1948)
and Ralph Sultan, MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano (class of 1950). The criteria included community
service, academic and professional achievement, and athletic and arts contributions. The committee chairs
were Bill Lee and Bill Turpin (class of 1961).
To celebrate that women can lead healthy and active lives after breast cancer, the Canadian Breast
Cancer Foundation, B.C./Yukon Region, awarded a total of $50,000 to 22 dragon boat breast cancer
survivor teams for the 2010 season, including Deep Cove's own North Shore Dragon Busters.
The region has supported dragon boat breast cancer survivor teams since 1997, says a spokeswoman for
the organization in a statement. The dragon boat movement for breast cancer survivors began in 1996 as
the result of a groundbreaking study led by Dr. Don McKenzie, professor of sports medicine at the
University of British Columbia. McKenzie set out to investigate the link between upper body exercise and
the development of lymphedema in women with breast cancer. Lymphedema is the significant swelling
some women experience due to accumulation of fluid in the arm and chest after the removal of lymph
nodes for the treatment of breast cancer. Twenty-four women, all with a history of breast cancer,
volunteered for Dr. McKenzie's research project and began training as dragon boaters. At the conclusion
of the study, McKenzie found that despite rigorous repetitive upper-body exercise, which dragon boating
required, no new cases of lymphedema occurred and none of the existing cases progressed. In addition,
the women who participated showed a marked improvement in both physical and mental health. From this
initial project in Vancouver, an international movement of breast cancer survivor dragon boat teams has
evolved.
Send details, along with your contact information, for our regular Noteworthy Neighbours section to
emcphee@nsnews.com.
August 5, 2010 - The Second Oncology Massage Healing Summit - Tracy Walton -
In May, I attended one of my favorite conferences of all time: "The Oncology Massage Healing Summit".
The setting was fabulous. The Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, Minnesota
hosted the conference, and a planning committee of members of the Society for Oncology Massage put it
together.
Gayle MacDonald (author of Medicine Hands: Massage Therapy for People with Cancer), and a member
of the planning committee, introduced the conference and the inspiring keynote speaker, Cathy Fanslow-
Brunjes, a seasoned hospice nurse who spoke on "Hope: A Dynamic Process in Living." Conference
attendees were also spellbound by a live performance of "Jonna's Body: Please Hold," an award-winning
one-woman show by Jonna Tamases, a three-time cancer survivor.
Breakout sessions at the conferences were outstanding, and even if I listed them all here, I would not be
able to do them justice. Presenters included oncology massage therapists, researchers, teachers, and
pioneers in the field. They came from hospital settings, private practice, spas, and teaching settings. The
common theme was working safely, well, and with full presence with people with cancer. I thoroughly
enjoyed Toni Muirhead's session on the Lebed method (a system of movement therapy for people with
cancer), Eleanor Oyston's presentation on theory and science behind gentle touch, Rene Janiece's
protocol for safe work with people with lymphedema, and Cheryl Chapman's session on the psychological
and emotional impact of mastectomy.
But there was much more. There were rich panel discussions and group presentations on creating your
dream in oncology massage, developing community-based oncology massage clinics, the role of massage
in oncology management, and teaching caregivers to massage their loved ones with cancer. There were
presentations on massaging children with cancer, skin care and esthetics for cancer patients, scar and
adhesion release, yoga for people with cancer, and writing successful grant proposals. There was even a
live cadaver lab, and a poster session of research, case studies, and descriptions of programs in oncology
massage. In-depth post-conference workshops were given by Cheryl Chapman and Jamie Elswick. It
was a full and exciting weekend.
The growing global interest in massage and touch for people with cancer was evident in attendees from all
over the globe: from Alaska to Australia, from Maine to Florida, and from Texas to Brazil. A dozen
attendees received funding to attend from the Cynthia Delano Myers Memorial Scholarship Fund,
established in honor of Dr. Myers' vast contributions to oncology massage, research, and integrative
medicine. People were there from small community hospitals as well as prominent cancer centers such as
MD Anderson, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
I was particularly moved by the strong presence of the co-sponsor, the Society for Oncology Massage,
which had begun its life in discussions at the first Oncology Massage Healing Summit in Toledo in 2007.
Since that time, the society has opened for membership. It now boasts an oncology massage therapist
locator service, extensive educational and advocacy resources, and a clearinghouse for research, quotes,
and stories. At the Society for Oncology Massage Web site (www.s4om.org), the role of skilled,
thoughtful touch in the lives of people with cancer and cancer histories is made abundantly clear. By the
time the next Summit rolls around, tentatively planned at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, the
Society for Oncology Massage should be a fixture in cancer care.
In my experience, the best professional gatherings in the massage profession engage the full heart, mind,
body, and soul. This one certainly did. As we ended with a blessing, "We are One," with voices from the
Four Directions, I thought of all of the people who were touched by massage, and in particular those who
navigate cancer treatment, survivorship, end of life, diagnosis and caregiving. Then, I understood the full
sphere of influence of massage. It was an honor to take part in this gathering. I breathed in all of the good
will and let it soak into my whole being, returning to my work with renewed energy and inspiration.
Articles: Lymphedema Niagara Joins the Lymphedema Association of Ontario in Fundraising Event. -
August 9, 2010
For the past two years the Lymphedema Association of Ontario has participated in the Scotia Bank
Charity Challenge. This year they are joined by Team Lymphedema Niagara who will sponsor a separate
fundraising 5K walk/run on September 19, 2010 in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010---On Sept. 19, 2010 Team Lymphedema Niagara will participate in the
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon with a local 5k Walk/Run in St. Catharines as a fundraiser for
the Lymphedema Association of Ontario.
The money that is raised will go to the Lymphedema Association of Ontario (LAO) in its work to provide
educational and awareness materials and events for lymphedema patients, those at risk for lymphedema
and for the medical community. The LAO puts on an annual lymphedema conference in Toronto, and
publishes a newsletter called Lymphedema Matters.
Thank you for supporting the LAO by pledging Team Lymphedema Niagara or one of our Team
Lymphedema Niagara members. All pledges will receive an official electronic tax receipt.
For more information on this event or on how to join or sponsor Team Lymphedema Niagara, email the
team captain, john Mulligan, at John@LymphedemaTherapist.com or call 905-687-1828. Also see the
Lymphedema Depot Blog at www.LymphedemaDepot.com/blog.
For more information about the Lymphedema Association of Ontario, visit their website at http://sites.
google.com/site/ontariolymph.
August 11, 2010 - Living With (and Without) Music: A Playlist by Steve Stern –
Steve Stern is the author, most recently, of the novel “The Frozen Rabbi.”
If Keats is right and unheard melodies are sweeter, then I’m in good shape. I haven’t been around a
decent sound system since my hippie commune days of 40 years ago and am too cheap to buy one of my
own. I’ve got a tinny boom box and a handful of CDs people have given me, but they reside largely
unopened in a cabinet whose doors have been hermetically sealed by the summer’s humidity. Truth is, my
musical education ended around 1969, not long after it began — this despite my birth in the cradle of
Delta blues and rock ’n’ roll. I haven’t heard the indelible music of my youth in decades and recall only
snatches of what once filled my head to the exclusion of rational thought. But since you asked…
I suppose the music that made up the soundtrack of my life would have to be divided between songs of
innocence and songs of experience. In the innocence category, I’d begin with …
1) Baby Mine, from Walt Disney’s “Dumbo,” which I heard at age 5 and which triggered a lifetime of self-
pity. It’s a lullaby the mother elephant sings to her child with his lymphedema of the ears, and it’s clear
that no one else but her will ever love the mutant creature. I identified for all I was worth; don’t ask why.
Advance to the teenage years, when the mood was sweetly exuberant as evoked by the likes of Sam
Cooke, Smoky Robinson and Little Anthony; though I, in the throes of cystic acne, preferred the
poignancy of Ben E. King, whose …
2) I Who Have Nothing helped consolidate the theme I’d been developing since childhood and defined
my adolescent sense of self. I confess that definition was somewhat mitigated when I won $150 by
correctly identifying
3) Hey Baby, by Bruce Chanel, on WHBQ radio. I was getting ready for school, listening for a song
portable enough to filter out the inanities of the coming day, when the D.J. announced he was phoning the
home of Sol Stern on Sevier Street. When the phone rang I pronounced the name of the song and its
singer before the question had even been asked. That my life was not changed by this triumph constituted
a disappointment that was the beginning of the end of innocence.
Bring on the Experience. It’s what? 1967? ’68? — sue me if my chronology’s inaccurate: time was
malleable in those days. Anyway, fallen in with a bad crowd, I’m swilling gallons of Romilar cough syrup
in lieu of the LSD that hasn’t yet hit Memphis, listening to …
4) rejoyce, from the Jefferson Airplane’s album “After Bathing at Baxter’s.” Thanks to an altered state
that blew the hinges from my doors of perception, Grace Slick’s impenetrable homage to Joyce’s
“Ulysses” insinuated itself into my synapses and abides there still. The song was also in the nature of a
literary awakening, or at least what accounted for one back in the lotus-eating days of illo tempore.
Then LSD hit and all bets were off. My painstakingly assembled neurotic persona was blasted to
diamond dust, and …
5) Aqualung, by Jethro Tull, became my anthem, because the group’s lead singer, Ian Anderson,
represented precisely the kind of shape-shifting depravity I had come to aspire to. Anderson would
appear on stage in outrageous garb, complete with tattered tailcoat, codpiece and electrified hair. He was
the fool from the Tarot pack, transformed by the music into something demonic, an acrobatic satyr, a
piper enticing children into dangerous enchantments. For all the timidity of my nascent gestures toward
narrative, I thought his performance characterized the sort of prose I would ultimately like to write; though
at the time my obsession led only to impersonations of his onstage antics that mortify me to this day.
I would also have to include from that period …
6) When You Awake, by the Band, which I would eventually associate with the kabbalistic Angel of
Forgetfulness, who tweaks you under the nose at birth so you forget your prenatal memories of Paradise.
Later on I used the song’s refrain, “When you awake you will remember everything,” as the epigraph to a
novella. When I applied to the record company for permission, however, I learned that the song’s author,
Richard Manuel, had recently hanged himself in a motel room. In my black heart I thought this gave the
epigraph a special resonance, since the story was about a restless ghost.
Other essentials of those years were:
7) Visions of Johanna, by Bob Dylan, and 8) Famous Blue Raincoat, by Leonard Cohen, probably the
two most beautiful songs ever written, and proof that you don’t need to understand them for the lyrics to
infect your heart.
Leaving the commune in the mid-’70s, I felt I was done with both innocence and experience, not to say
music; I’d had my fun. Now it was time to apply myself in earnest to the writing of fiction. If Dylan and
John Lennon occasionally conspired with Igor Stravinsky to raise a cacophony in my brain, I ignored it,
attending only to the white noise of anxiety. Though once in a while some stray tune might penetrate my
skull like a piece of shrapnel, as happened with
9) Dancin’ Jones, by the Neville Brothers, whom I used to see at Tipitina’s in New Orleans in 1979
before they were famous. That particular song resuscitated me from a flat-line condition following a toxic
romance: the kind of drama (including the widow of a suicide) so suited to the atmosphere of that louche
city. The song also coincidentally prophesied the name of the woman I would fall in love with for keeps.
If I listen to anything nowadays, other than voices portending the death of the planet, it’s the lullabies I’ve
come back to. I guess I’m looking for the one that will perhaps lull me into my grave, as for instance …
10) Rozinkes mit mandlen, written by Avram Goldfadn, the father of the Yiddish theater. My fondness for
this song is evidence of the type of sentimentality that augurs one’s dotage, and returns me full circle to the
maudlin sensibility of my early years. You can hear the song played with exquisitely schmaltzy virtuosity
by Itzhak Perlman on his album “Tradition.”
August 11, 2010 - Start Pumping Iron: Breast Cancer Patients Reduce Arm Swelling by Lifting Weights -
Women who suffer from lymphedema, or chronic arm swelling, after breast cancer surgery may
experience relief by lifting weights, according to a recent study. Lymphedema can occur after lymph nodes
are removed during breast cancer surgery reports New England Journel of Medicine. Doctors have
traditionally advised women with lymphedema to avoid lifting weights so as not to worsen the condition
Women who suffer from lymphedema, or chronic arm swelling, after breast cancer surgery may
experience relief by lifting weights, according to a recent study. Lymphedema can occur after lymph nodes
are removed during breast cancer surgery. Doctors have traditionally advised women with lymphedema to
avoid lifting weights so as not to worsen the condition. However, this recent study contradicts that advice,
showing that weightlifting might actually have a beneficial effect on breast cancer patients—in addition to
its other benefits on bone density and health.
Lymphedema is the chronic swelling or feeling of tightness in the arm or hand due to an accumulation of
lymphatic fluid in the soft tissue of the arm. The condition occurs when lymph vessels, which normally
carry excess fluid out of the limbs and back into central circulation, have had their flow interrupted.
Axillary (underarm) lymph node removal is commonly performed on breast cancer patients to stage or
treat their cancer. However, between 15% and 20% of breast cancer patients who undergo axillary lymph
node removal develop lymphedema. According to the American Cancer Society, of the two million breast
cancer survivors in the U.S., approximately 400,000 must cope with lymphedema on a daily basis.
Traditionally, women with lymphedema have been told to avoid weight lifting so as not to aggravate the
arm swelling. However, some researchers have called this advice into question. To conduct the current
study, lead researcher Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH, of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and
Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania and colleagues enrolled 141 past breast cancer patients with
lymphedema. Half of the women participated in a weight-lifting exercise program twice a week for 90
minutes over 13 weeks. The women wore a custom-fitted compression sleeve on the affected arm during
exercise and began with light weights, around 1 to 2 pounds, gradually increasing the weight over time.
The results of the study showed that the majority of the women in the weight-lifting group reduced
symptoms of lymphedema. Moreover, there were no serious adverse effects among the women who lifted
weights.
Dr. Schmitz hopes that her study will change how doctors advise patients with lymphedema. "Hopefully
this will be the last nail in the coffin for that kind of misguided advice," she said, in a statement on her
center’s web site.
The American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, and American Lymphedema Institute have
issued recommendations for women after breast cancer surgery to help avoid lymphedema. These
recommendations include the following:
Use the arm in normal activities (such as bathing, dressing, etc.).
After surgery, keep the arm raised above the level of the heart for 45 minutes, two to three times a day
while lying down. Position the arm on a pillow so the hand is higher than the wrist and the elbow is slightly
higher than the shoulder.
Use a soft ball or stress ball and perform squeezing exercises with the hand, even if patients are not yet
ready to perform raised arm positions immediately after surgery.
Clean the skin of the arm and hand every day and keep it moist with lotion. Lotions should not contain any
alcohol, dyes, lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum products, talc or perfumes.
Make sure all clothing in contact with the affected area is clean, and change bandages and dressing
frequently.
Avoid any needle sticks, blood tests, blood pressure testing, allergy tests or medical procedures of any
kind on the affected arm whenever possible.
Be careful to avoid too much pressure on the arm. Avoid tight jewelry, clothing or elastic bandages on the
affected arm.
Do not use chemical hair removers under the arm. Use of an electric razor is recommended to avoid nicks
and cuts when removing underarm hair.
Avoid extreme changes in temperature. Do not use hot tubs or saunas.
Take precautions to avoid any injuries to the affected arm, such as scrapes, scratches, burns, insect bites.
Consider wearing soft pads under the arm after axillary node dissection.
Wear a breast compression garment when traveling.
Wear protective gloves when doing household chores, especially when chemical cleansers are involved.
Exercise regularly but rest the affected arm immediately if it becomes tired or sore.
Maintain a balanced diet and an ideal weight.
Any exercise program, including weight lifting, begun after breast cancer surgery should be discussed
thoroughly with the patient’s medical treatment team. Despite the results of the current study, weight lifting
may not appropriate for all patients.
Additional Resources and References:
The study, “Weight Lifting in Women with Breast-Cancer–Related Lymphedema,” was published in the
August 13, 2009, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, http://content.nejm.org/
A statement about the current study was published on the web site of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology
and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania, http://www.cceb.upenn.edu/
To learn more about lymphedema, please visit http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/lymphedema.asp
August 12, 2010 - AT WORK: Hermosa Beach plastic surgeon balances aesthetic, reconstructive
practices - Christine Trang –
It used to be a high point of Jay Granzow's life: the Legos he built, the flying objects he created, the
remote-control cars he pieced together.
Today, Granzow focuses most of his attention on people, rather than objects.
The 38-year-old is a plastic surgeon at Torrance-based County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. He
works with breast cancer patients and people who suffer from lymphedema, a condition of fluid retention
in the arm or leg.
Granzow, a Hermosa Beach resident, also serves as professor of surgery at the UCLA David Geffen
School of Medicine.
In an earlier career, Granzow earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Princeton, and
worked in this field before attending medical school at Tulane University in New Orleans.
Why did you decide to go to medical school?
You do pretty similar things as an engineer and plastic surgeon. I like working with people directly and
seeing results, rather than being a bit more distant from the people I help day to day. I was one person on
a team of engineers, which was a good thing, it was fun, but ultimately, my direct input was not as visible
as if I just worked with someone one on one.
Describe what a typical day is like for you.
My day is anything but typical. Sometimes I'm in surgery, sometimes I'm with a patient and sometimes I'm
teaching residents in the clinic or operating room.
Who is your average patient?
She's about 40 to 50 years old, and she already underwent surgery and radiation for breast cancer.
We also see patients with lymphedema. Some get the disease from breast cancer surgery or a gynecology
cancer, like cancer of the cervix or uterus.
A third set of patients we see are those already born with lymphedema or a predisposition for the disease.
Tell me about lymphedema.
Lymph is a clear fluid that lubricates the tissues between your muscles and organs. If any lymphatic
channels get blocked off because of surgery, radiation or a congenital reason, the fluid builds up and
causes that area to swell.
What does a lymphedema procedure entail?
One is called lymphaticovenous anastomosis. That means we make a direct connection from lymphatic
vessels to nearby small veins. This allows fluid to drain into the veins and return to the body's circulation.
The other is a microvascular lymph node transfer. It involves taking lymph nodes from the groin, with their
supporting artery and vein, and moving them to another area, like the arm pit, where previous lymph
nodes have been removed from surgery. This also allows for drainage.
How long does each procedure last?
The first is a series of two to three surgeries. Each one lasts about four to six hours.
The second is about six to ten hours because the procedure also comes together with breast
reconstruction.
How are you different from your competitors?
I like to balance aesthetic and reconstructive practices. It's great to take care of people and make them
look better. But I also offer reconstruction, and I don't just offer the simple levels most people offer.
My procedures with lymphedema, which almost nobody else in the world treats, sets me apart. The breast
reconstruction, that sets me apart. I have a head and neck surgery background, and I have a regular
medical background.
Why do you think you are one of the few who performs lymphedema procedures?
There's very little training in it. It's new, and it's very precise. Very few people can work with a tiny suture
under a microscope at that level, and very few can be comfortable doing that routinely.
August 16, 2010 - Dragon Boaters Battle the Odds, Paddle Toward Victory Against Breast Cancer -
Christy Potter Kass -
PARSIPPANY, NJ – With the intensity of a drill sergeant and the familiarity of a sister, Ellen Law shouts
down the rows of women rowing the dragon boat furiously through the waters of Lake Parsippany.
"Let’s go! Keep pushing through the pain!" Law stops and corrects herself. "Not pain! Muscle learning!"
Not pain. Their arm muscles are on fire and they’re sweating hard as they lean on their paddles, but these
women know what pain is. And this isn’t it.
The members of Pathways Team SOSNJ (Save Our Sisters) Dragon Boat Team are all breast cancer
survivors. They formed a rowing team and became an affiliate of the NJ Dragon Boat Club. Now, under
Law’s coaching, they practice weekly on Lake Parsippany and compete in races all over the U.S. and
Canada.
Some of the members of Team SOSNJ are in their mid 20s. Almost half the team is over 60. Three of
them are over 70. They come from all over Northern and Central New Jersey. Some joined the team
while still undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, others are long-term survivors.
"Some people don’t like the idea of a support group where you sit around a table and talk and cry," said
member Peggy Salisbury of Union. "They want to do something more active, but still be with women who
know what they’ve been through."
Law, who lives in East Hanover and also coaches volleyball in New Providence, has been a member of
the U.S. National Dragon Boat Team since 1998 and has raced for Team USA at the World
Championships since then. She helps organize and coach dragon boat teams all over New Jersey, but
brushes off a member’s comment that she does it "out of the goodness of her heart."
"I do it because I enjoy it," she says. "It’s a growing sport, and it’s good for these women. After all they’
ve been through, it’s good for them to sit in the boat and just row. They don’t have to worry, they don’t
even really have to think. They just have to row."
At first glance, it sounds counterintuitive for women who have been through breast cancer surgery to do
an exercise as strenuous on the upper body as rowing. And for many years, women were advised not to
lift more than five pounds after surgery. But groundbreaking research in 1996 by Dr. Don McKenzie, a
sports medicine physician at the University of British Columbia, showed that by following a special
exercise and training program such as dragon boating, breast cancer survivors could avoid lymphedema
and enjoy active, full lives. A team of physicians, a physiotherapist and a nurse carefully monitored his
program, and in the end, Dr. McKenzie’s theory was proven correct. No new cases of lymphedema
occurred and none of the existing cases became worse.
Team SOSNJ shows no signs of having been sick at all as they row, paddles churning up whitewater on
either side of the narrow boat. They are like any other athletes, keeping an eye on their form, working up
a sweat and trying to heed the advice their coach shouts at different intervals.
The only evidence of the medical challenges they’ve faced comes when they pause their rowing and
everyone raises one arm in the air and flexes their fingers for a bit to drain their lymph nodes. Then it’s
paddles in the water and back to practice.
"Bury the blade!" Law shouts from the front of the boat. The women plunge their paddles deeper into the
water, propelling the boat forward faster still. The key to keeping the boat smooth and steady is for each
boater to keep her eye on the paddle in front of her. Law continually shouts for them to synchronize the
entrance and exits of their paddles from the water. It’s a skill that echoes their very spirits – they’re a
team. They’re fighters. And they’re working together to paddle forward and leave breast cancer behind.
The symbol of the dragon itself also reflects the spirit of these women. Dragon boating is an ancient
Chinese ritual in which paddlers, in a synchronized rhythm, raced competitively, as they believed that
racing symbolized their struggle with nature and the fight against deadly enemies. With the "dragon" at the
helm of their boat, they would gain strength and vitality and avert misfortune.
Dragon boats are 40 feet long and hold 20 paddlers sitting in 10 rows, with two on each row. A steerer
stands in the stern and, during races, a drummer sits on the bow. At competitive events, ceremonial
dragon heads and tails are attached to the boats. Barry Howard of Morristown serves as the team’s
steerer during practice, but at many races, no one is allowed in the dragon boat who is not a breast cancer
survivor.
Practice over for another week, Law pulls the boat onto shore and the women climb out, holding each
other’s hands and leaning on each other’s shoulders to regain their footing. They chatter about upcoming
races as they put their equipment away.
"This is good for these women in a lot of ways," Law said. "Many of our members are older and have
never been a part of a competitive sport before. They love it. Every year, we get new members. That’s
really what keeps it exciting for all of us - getting caught up in the enthusiasm of the new members." Prior
rowing experience is not required, and there is no age limit.
"It’s an amazing feeling to be a part of this team," said Michele Visco, executive director of Pathways and
a breast cancer survivor. "Dragon boating can help women deal with not only the physical but also the
emotional and psychological aftermath of a cancer diagnosis and treatment. You may not feel so strong
after what you’ve been through, but out on that boat, you feel strong again."
Joan McEntee of Pompton Plains, who is in her second summer as a member of Team SOSNJ, said she
joined for the workout and the camaraderie.
"It’s fun," she said. "And being out there with women who have been through what I’ve been through
helps remind me that breast cancer is not the end of the world."
Pathways Team SOSNJ is currently sponsored by Dime Savings Bank and Investors Savings Bank.
For more information on Pathways or Team SOSNJ, call 908-273-4242, extension 154, or visit www.
TeamSOSNJ.org.
August 16, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot to Showcase Solaris Compression Products at Québec
Lymphedema Seminar - LymphedemaDepot -
Lymphedema Depot will be showing the Solaris line of lymphedema care products at the Québec
conference on therapeutic compression hosted by the Lymphedema Association of Québec and Clinique
médical et sportive Régina Assumpta on September 30, 2010.
St. Catharines, Ontario, August 16 , 2010---Lymphedema Depot Ltd. will be presenting Solaris line of
lymphedema care products at the Montréal event “Take Charge of Your Lymphedema; A Guide to the
Use of Compression,” a bilingual information conference with simultaneous interpretation. The conference
will take place on Monday August 30, 2010, and is sponsored by the Lymphedema Association of
Quebec and Clinique médicale et sportive Régina Assumpta.
“We’re excited about this occasion because this is the first time we will be personally showing our
products in Quebec”, says Lymphedema Depot co-founder and clinical specialist John Mulligan,
RMT/CDT-LANA. We are looking forward to this important conference on compression, and we thank
the Lymphedema Association of Quebec and Clinique médicale et sportive Régina Assumpta for
sponsoring this unique event.
The conference will be moderated by Michel Eid, MT, CDT, Instructor, Vodder School International.
Featured speakers will be:
· Dr. Christian Schuchhardt, co-editor of the manual Lymphedema, Diagnosis & Therapy;
· Dr. Anna Towers, Director MUHC (McGill University Health Centre) Lymphedema Clinic and Director
of the McGill University Lymphedema Research Program;
· Robert Harris, Director, Vodder School International;
· Monica Coggiola, PT, Instructor, Vodder School International;
· Dorit Tidhar, MSc PT, Creator of Aqua Lymphatic Therapy, Tidhar Method; Educational Coordinator,
MUHC (McGill University Health Centre) Lymphedema Clinic.
The Lymphedema Association of Québec is a charitable organization founded in 1999 to provide
education, awareness, and support to those with lymphedema, and to encourage research leading to
effective treatments and eventually a cure.
Find out more at http://www.infolympho.ca
Lymphedema Depot is a Canadian company dedicated to bringing new options in lymphedema care
products to Canada. We are the exclusive Canadian distributor of the Solaris line of medical compression
garments for the management of lymphatic and venous edemas. Find out more at http://www.
LymphedemaDepot.com.
To contact Lymphedema Depot, email info@LymphedemaDepot.com
August 17, 2010 - Health kudos - Schneider earns certification – CLYDE ASHEVILLE WAYNES—
Susan Schneider, a physical therapist at Haywood Regional Medical Center, has completed 140 hours of
additional training to earn a lymphedema certification.
Schneider has been with Haywood Regional's rehabilitation department for five years. She recently
expanded her services to include treating patients needing therapy for lymphedema.
Schneider offers free screenings on the third Tuesday of each month, from 4-5:30 p.m. at the rehabilitation
department, located on the first floor of Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center.
For more information or to schedule an appointment for the next free screening, call 452-8070.
August 18, 2010 - About breast cancer exercise specialists - Reading Eagle -
What is a breast cancer exercise specialist?
Someone trained through the Pink Ribbon Program developed by exercise physiologist Doreen Puglisi,
who earned a master's and bachelor's degree in exercise science from Seton Hall University, South
Orange, N.J. She is a certified cancer exercise specialist. She also is the chairwoman of the Health
Education and Exercise Science Department at County College of Morris, Randolph, N.J.
What is a breast cancer exercise specialist qualified to do?
A specialist is qualified to assess, design and implement individual and group exercise and fitness programs
for those diagnosed with cancer.
A specialist also can evaluate health behaviors and risk factors and conduct fitness assessments.
Motivating individuals to maintain a healthy lifestyle is another role of the specialist.
Specialists are trained to understand the entire cancer process from diagnosis to treatment, recovery,
prevention of lymphedema and contraindications.
Source: www.pinkribbonprogram.com
August 18, 2010 - Study: Iyenga Yoga Accelerates Recovery Process in Breast Cancer Survivors -
TopNews United States - Amit Pathania -
A lot of people do yoga to remain fit and healthy. And now, according to a research, a new dedicated
Iyenga yoga program helps in the quick recuperation for breast cancer survivors, and those who are
undertaking breast cancer treatment.
A study, at the University of Alberta, revealed that Iyenga yoga has the capability to alter lives. Alexandra
Hildebrandt, a breast cancer survivor, who took part in the study, narrates her experience with the yoga
program.
Hildebrandt said that she had lymphedema. When she practices yoga on a regular basis, she sees a
dramatic lessening in swelling.
She said, "You use so many props so it allows you to do fewer poses in class, but you hold them for
longer and you can really relax and stretch into the poses".
Even after finishing the course, she is still practicing Iyenga yoga.
Researchers conducted a 10-week long study, which entailed breast cancer survivors and was
spearheaded by Amy Speed-Andrews.
Speed-Andrews said that the response received from the women was very encouraging.
It is said that mental health and quality of life are considered as the vital elements, after a person undergoes
invasive medical procedures, like breast cancer surgical treatment.
And with this regimen, the patients' recovery process gets a kick.
August 18, 2010 – Yoga helps women heal: U of A study - KATHY LE METRO EDMONTON –
Many people practise yoga for relaxation purposes and health benefits. However, a study at the University
of Alberta shows the benefits of Iyengar yoga goes much further than being healthy — it can change lives.
Breast cancer survivor Alexandra Hildebrandt was a participant in the study and described how the class
has helped her body.
“I had lymphedema and if I do the poses regularly, after a couple of days there’s significantly reduced
swelling,” said Hildebrandt. “You use so many props so it allows you to do fewer poses in class, but you
hold them for longer and you can really relax and stretch into the poses.”
The 10-week study, led by Amy Speed-Andrews, required women diagnosed with breast cancer, in a
survivorship stage, to participate in a before and after questionnaire.
“The feedback we received from the women was very positive,” Speed-Andrews said.
Hildebrandt has continued to do Iyengar yoga, even after completing the study.
“I’m running in the half-marathon this Sunday. I’m back in business,” she said.
August 18, 2010 - FORT WORTH, Texas/PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Wound Management Technologies, Inc. /quotes/comstock/11k!wndm (WNDM 0.70, 0.00, 0.00%)
announced today that its new international distributor, Spiramed (Pty) Ltd, exhibited its advanced wound
care collagen product, CellerateRX(R) last weekend at the DFWG (Diabetic Foot Working Group)
congress in Cape Town and has already planned exhibitions at two additional upcoming conferences. This
second meeting of the DFWG congress was attended by over 120 diabetic foot specialists. Spiramed will
also be exhibiting CellerateRX(R) at the UBUNTU International Conference-A Global Wound Healing
Initiative September 5-8. This conference is hosted by South Africa and endorsed by the Wound Healing
Association of Southern Africa. Other supporting organizations include the World Alliance of Wound and
Lymphedema Care, World Health Organization, The Lindsay Leg Club Foundation, and Wound
International. The programme is focused on assessing the scope of wound care issues in economically
challenged countries and proposing strategies and solutions in the area of wound care. They will also be
showcasing CellerateRX(R) at the VASSA 2010 Congress (Vascular Society of Southern Africa) in
October.
"We are excited about CellerateRX(R)'s introduction to the South African market," stated Cathy
Bradshaw, President of Wound Care Innovations, a subsidiary of Wound Management Technologies.
"According to the World Diabetes Foundation, the estimated number of people with diabetes in South
Africa is approximately 840,000, with a projected increase to 1.3 million in the next few years. Statistics
show that around 15% of these people will develop a diabetic foot ulcer at some point in their lives. We
believe that CellerateRX(R) can have an enormous impact in the management of the related wounds."
CellerateRX(R) is registered in South Africa and has assigned NAPPI (National Pharmaceutical Product
Interface) codes. It is registered with various South African insurance companies as an authorized product
for reimbursement.
For Wound Management Technologies Shareholder Information please call 817-820-7077 or go to http:
//www.wmgtech.com
About Wound Care Innovations, LLC
Wound Care Innovations, LLC (WCI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wound Management
Technologies, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board:WNDM.ob - News) with its corporate headquarters in Fort
Worth, Texas, and regional offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. WCI markets and distributes wound care
products to the healthcare market under patented technology licensed to the Company. The Company is
positioned and seeks to be a leading provider of wound care products. For more information on
CellerateRX(R), please visit the WCI web site at http://www.celleraterx.com/ .
About Wound Management Technologies, Inc.
Wound Management Technologies, Inc.'s primary focus is the distribution of its unique, patented collagen
product, CellerateRX(R), in the $3.2B worldwide advanced wound care market, a market that is growing
due to aging populations and the increase of diabetes. Over the past 2 years Wound Management has
focused on developing evidenced-based studies on CellerateRX(R) and gaining physician awareness by
participation in key industry conferences. Now Wound Management is focused on expanding sales
through partnerships and contracted independent representatives. Wound Management has other
advanced biotech products in development for bone wax, bone void fillers and shingles pain reduction as
well as a subsidiary focused on eHealth technology for secure healthcare data collaboration and storage.
More information can be found on the company's web sites: http://www.wmgtech.com, http://www.
celleraterx.com , and http://www.secureehealth.com .
Safe Harbor Statement:
The statements in the press release that relate to the company's expectations with regard to the future
impact on the company's results from new products in development and any other statements not
constituting historical facts are "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of and subject to the safe
harbor created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Since this information may contain
statements that involve risk and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, the company's actual
results may differ materially from expected results. This document may contain forward-looking statements
concerning the Company's operations, current and future performance and financial condition. These items
involve risks, contingencies and uncertainties such as product demand, market and customer acceptance,
the effect of economic conditions, competition, pricing, the ability to consummate and integrate
acquisitions, and other risks, contingencies and uncertainties detailed in the Company's SEC filings, which
could cause the company's actual operating results, performance or business plans or prospects to differ
materially from those expressed in, or implied by these statements. The Company undertakes no
obligation to revise any of these statements to reflect the future circumstances or the occurrence of
unanticipated events.
SOURCE Wound Management Technologies, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2010 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
August 18, 2010 - Softball tournament is more than a fundraiser - Statesman Journal -Capi Lynn -
Organizing and promoting Play for the Cure was a challenge last year for Kris Knox.
The annual softball tournament — held in memory of her mother, who died of breast cancer in 2002 —
took on even more meaning.
Knox, unbeknownst to many, was coming to terms with having just been diagnosed herself.
Although it was a difficult time, trying to decide which treatment to pursue, she couldn't have imagined
being anywhere else but at an event devoted to raising money for breast cancer awareness.
"It was kind of a gift," Knox said, "because there was a lot of positive energy, a lot of great support."
Only family members and close friends knew Knox had cancer. She went public with the news on opening
night of the tournament, wearing a pink survivor T-shirt and throwing out one of the ceremonial first
pitches.
Then just 10 days after the tournament, which raised an all-time high $37,000, she underwent a double
mastectomy.
A year later, Knox is cancer-free and busy making last-minute preparations for the ninth annual Play for
the Cure, which will open Friday evening at Wallace Marine Park.
"What I really want the message to be is not the fact that I got breast cancer and isn't that ironic," she said.
"This was a reminder to me, like I hope it was a reminder to every one else, that you don't get credit for
volunteer hours and for how much effort you put into a cause. It's the one place there is guaranteed to be
no discrimination."
Play for the Cure is a fundraiser for the Linda L. Vladyka Breast Wellness Foundation, which to date has
raised nearly $140,000 in an effort to "strike out" breast cancer. Last year it gave $25,000 to the Oregon
and SW Washington affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, $10,000 to a fund through the Salem
Hospital Foundation that provides emergency financial assistant to breast cancer patients, and $2,000 to
the local YWCA's mammogram screening program for uninsured or underinsured women.
Oregon, in case you didn't know, is ranked seventh in the nation in breast cancer incidence, according to
the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control. It is estimated that each week 51
women in Oregon are diagnosed with breast cancer and nine women die from it.
In addition to raising money for research and treatment, Play for the Cure offers health and education
resources.
Christine Frank, a licensed physical therapist and certified lymphedema specialist who treated Knox, will
be at the three-day tournament to discuss healthy care for your lymphatic system during and after breast
cancer treatment.
Lymphedema, or swelling of the soft tissues in the arms, is an often overlooked side effect of treatment.
During surgery for breast cancer, at least one lymph node from the underarm area is removed to see if the
cancer has spread. Removing lymph nodes changes the way fluid flows, results in an excess buildup, and
causes swelling.
Knox had three lymph nodes removed from one arm and four from the other during her double
mastectomy. She started physical therapy with Frank less than six weeks after surgery.
"When I went in," Knox said, "I couldn't raise my arms."
Knox went through nine months of physical therapy that also included work in a swimming pool and in a
Pilates gym.
She participated in a one-on-one, six-week exercise program taught by Sarah Hillman, a certified Pink
Ribbon Program instructor. The Pink Ribbon Program is a Pilates-based rehabilitation program designed
to help breast cancer patients regain full range of motion to those areas affected by surgery.
Knox took her rehabilitation seriously, because she wanted to return to her profession. Among the first
questions she asked her doctor was if she could recover from a double mastectomy and be a cop (yes),
and how long it would take (9-10 months).
She returned to light duty with Salem police in October. She worked full time but with flexibility in her
schedule to attend doctor and physical therapy appointments.
Choosing to undergo a double mastectomy was a difficult and personal decision for Knox.
A tumor was found in only one of her breasts, but she opted to also have surgery to remove both rather
than just have a lumpectomy. She sought advice from other women, asking them about their treatment
choices.
"I had a lot of built-in connections," Knox said. "I had a lot of people I could talk to, trust and feel
comfortable with."
She made her decision "knowing what my family history was and just knowing myself. I felt like I wanted
to be as aggressive as possible and deal with this once and not spend the rest of my life waiting for the
other shoe to fall."
By having the double mastectomy, she said she avoided having to undergo radiation therapy.
She chose not to have breast reconstruction, but did have follow-up surgery in March for revision of the
14-inch scars on each side, from the middle of her chest to her back.
Scar-revision surgery can improve the way a scar looks and feels, making it less severe. It was important
for Knox in terms of comfort in her police uniform.
"To go back to work and wear body armor, I had to have things straightened out," she said.
Knox was cleared for regular duty on June 2 — 9 months, 8 days after her double mastectomy, she
proudly told me. She is currently assigned to the crime prevention unit.
"We do a lot of community education," she said. "It's one area of the department you really get to have a
daily dose of positive interaction."
Knox also gets a dose of positive interaction during Play for the Cure, a three-day softball tournament that
will feature 20 coed and 20 women's teams. The tournament is so popular that each year there is a waiting
list of teams hoping to get in.
Knox thinks her involvement in Play for the Cure helped save her life.
If her mom hadn't been diagnosed with breast cancer, she and other family members wouldn't have
organized the foundation and the fundraiser, and she wouldn't have become so aware and educated about
the disease.
"I've said for a long time, I really truly believe there are no accidents," Knox said. "I'm confident I wouldn't
have found the lump and probably wouldn't have been looking.
"My mom took care of me my whole life, and there she was still taking care of me."
"Forward This" appears Wednesdays and Sundays and highlights the people, places and organizations of
the Mid-Willamette Valley. To share a story, contact Capi Lynn at clynn@StatesmanJournal.com or
(503) 399-6710.
August 19, 2010 - Breast cancer survivors don't need to be afraid of air travel: U of A study - EurekAlert
- Carmen Leibel –
University of Alberta researcher Margie McNeely says results from an international study she was part of
indicates certain precautions about the risk of lymphedema for breast cancer survivors are outdated.
McNeely, from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, says women who've had breast cancer surgery are
often warned that pressure changes in an airplane cabin could trigger lymphedema, chronic swelling in the
arm. But the study she did with an Australian research team showed that only five per cent of these
women are likely at risk of developing any arm swelling when flying.
The caution about lymphedema risk is for women who have had lymph nodes removed from the armpit, a
common procedure during cancer treatment. McNeely says because these lymph nodes help drain fluid
when they are removed there is the potential for chronic swelling.
McNeely teamed up with Australian researcher Sharon Kilbreath to study the effect of air travel on 60
Canadian breast cancer survivors who were flying to Australia for an International Dragon Boat Festival.
Seventeen of these women were from Edmonton. The study also involved a group of 12 women who
were travelling to the festival from different areas of Australia.
The researchers compared both of the participants' arms, the arm where lymph nodes were removed from
the armpit and the opposite unaffected arm, with a device that can detect subtle changes in fluid difference
between the arms. The measurements were done in Canada before they left and again in Australia when
they arrived.
Findings indicate that 95 per cent of the women had no arm swelling. Four women had a slight increase
but at a follow-up test, done six weeks after the women returned to Canada, three were back to normal
and only one woman was found at possible risk for chronic swelling.
McNeely says that, until now, information about air travel and lymphedema risk has not been based on
solid evidence, but says this research shows that while there is a risk of developing lymphedema during
flight, that risk is very low.
McNeely's research was published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
August 19, 2010 - Air travel safe for breast cancer survivors: Study - ANI -
Washington, Aug 20 (ANI): Women who have survived breast cancer can fly without any worries, says a
new study.
University of Alberta researcher Margie McNeely said that the theory that breast cancer survivors are at a
risk of lymphedema, is outdated.
Women have often been warned that post breast cancer, pressure changes in an airplane cabin could
trigger lymphedema, chronic swelling in the arm.
However, McNeely said that the risk is for those women who have had lymph nodes removed from the
armpit, a common procedure during cancer treatment. When there is the potential for chronic swelling,
these lymph nodes work to drain the fluid.
McNeely and Australian researcher Sharon Kilbreath compared two such groups of patients - one that
had had their lymph nodes removed and one that had not. All the women were breast cancer survivors.
Findings indicated that 95 per cent of the women had no arm swelling. Four women had a slight increase
but at a follow-up test, done six weeks later three were back to normal and only one woman was found at
possible risk for chronic swelling.
McNeely said that this research shows that while there is a risk of developing lymphedema during flight,
that risk is very low. (ANI)
August 19, 2010 - 800-pound Kerrville man fights to stay alive - Sarah Forgany -
KERRVILLE -- It's a rare condition doctors say they see once in their career.
"I have a real illness, it's not just because I sat on my butt and ate myself this way," said Christopher
Fisher, who suffers from extreme obesity.
The 37-year-old from Kerrville was no different than any other kid growing up. He played football, went
fishing and became a horseshoe pitching champion.
"I have five boys and they all ate like horses," said Donna Fisher, Christopher Fisher's mother. "He would
eat one big mac and put on five pounds."
Five pounds turned to 10, then a 100 and by his late teens, Fisher had reached 250 pounds.
"I really didn't watch what I ate but I guess I wasn't concerned at that time," Fisher said. "I was still able to
get around and move around."
At 25 years old, Fisher was 500 pounds. That's when he decided to go under the knife to get gastric
bypass surgery.
And the operation was successful until a major roadblock.
"I got in a car accident," Fisher said. "I was bedridden for months."
Before long, he was back to weighing 500 pounds. He started suffering from heart problems, diabetes,
lymphedema and high blood pressure.
For months, Fisher said he was in and out of the hospital, but no one could help him.
Today, Fisher has reached 800 pounds. But he hasn't given up. Breathing very heavily, Fisher showed us
he can get up and walk, even sit on his bed by himself, despite his terminal obesity. "I eat salads, I eat
oatmeal for breakfast, I eat very little now and I'm doing everything I can to lose weight but nothing is
helping," Said Fisher.
"He is in the .01 percent of the nation," said Dr. John Pilcher with New Dimensions Weight Loss.
More than 30 percent of Americans are considered obese. Fisher is morbidly obese.
Dr. Pilcher says Fisher's weight is likely the result of both eating habits and genes.
"Genetics has a lot to do with this, from very early growth even going back to pregnancy in the womb,"
Pilcher said.
"Personal choice factors have been over weighted in the past. We assume people do this to themselves
and that's really just not what happens."
Donna Fisher says her son doesn't eat very much, yet he continues to put on weight.
"There is a reason why he went from 500 to 750 in three months - it's not because he shoveled food in his
mouth. It's medical, you can see his legs," she said.
Despite his frequent hospitalizations, Donna Fisher said no one wants to take his medicaid and with little
help from the insurance, she fears he's slowly dying.
"You can't let your baby die, because nobody wants to help him," she said. "He wants to help himself, but
he doesn't know how. We need those people who are supposed to be smart."
Helpless, Fisher told us he thinks about death. But he's not ready to go just yet.
"I do care about life, I'm not going to lay in my bed and die, I'm not going to sit in my chair and die, I still
want to live," he said.
Pilcher has yet to meet Fisher but he agreed to take his case. The doctor told us it may take months
before Fisher loses some weight.
But Pilcher said he's optimistic that they can perform a second surgery on Fisher once he is medically
ready.
KENS 5 will continue to follow Fisher's story and his progress as he works with Pilcher.
For more information on obesity and how you can treat it, you can visit www.ndwls.com or call 210-614-
3370.
August 19, 2010 - Breast cancer survivors don't need to be afraid of air travel: U of A study - EurekAlert
- Carmen Leibel -
University of Alberta researcher Margie McNeely says results from an international study she was part of
indicates certain precautions about the risk of lymphedema for breast cancer survivors are outdated.
McNeely, from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, says women who've had breast cancer surgery are
often warned that pressure changes in an airplane cabin could trigger lymphedema, chronic swelling in the
arm. But the study she did with an Australian research team showed that only five per cent of these
women are likely at risk of developing any arm swelling when flying.
The caution about lymphedema risk is for women who have had lymph nodes removed from the armpit, a
common procedure during cancer treatment. McNeely says because these lymph nodes help drain fluid
when they are removed there is the potential for chronic swelling.
McNeely teamed up with Australian researcher Sharon Kilbreath to study the effect of air travel on 60
Canadian breast cancer survivors who were flying to Australia for an International Dragon Boat Festival.
Seventeen of these women were from Edmonton. The study also involved a group of 12 women who
were travelling to the festival from different areas of Australia.
The researchers compared both of the participants' arms, the arm where lymph nodes were removed from
the armpit and the opposite unaffected arm, with a device that can detect subtle changes in fluid difference
between the arms. The measurements were done in Canada before they left and again in Australia when
they arrived.
Findings indicate that 95 per cent of the women had no arm swelling. Four women had a slight increase
but at a follow-up test, done six weeks after the women returned to Canada, three were back to normal
and only one woman was found at possible risk for chronic swelling.
McNeely says that, until now, information about air travel and lymphedema risk has not been based on
solid evidence, but says this research shows that while there is a risk of developing lymphedema during
flight, that risk is very low.
McNeely's research was published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
August 20, 2010 – Breast cancer survivors welcome new insights - U of A researcher into post-surgical
care dismisses long-held precautions which were neither true nor useful - Thandiwe Vela -
EDMONTON - When Sherwood Park resident Ellen Atkinson landed in Brisbane, Australia, after her
first long-haul flight in more than a decade, the first thing she did was check if her right arm, elbow or
knuckles were swelling.
After undergoing breast cancer surgery in 1997, Atkinson, like many others who have had lymph nodes
removed from the armpit during aggressive cancer treatment, was warned pressure changes in an airplane
could trigger lymphedema, chronic swelling in the arm.
"I was certainly relieved and pleased that I was in the majority that did not develop swelling," Atkinson
said of a University of Alberta study that found of 60 Canadian breast cancer survivors measured before
and after flying to Australia, 95 per cent of them experienced no arm swelling.
The findings, by U of A researcher Margie McNeely and an Australian research team, debunk long-
standing precautions about the risk of developing lymphedema, a risk that has been pegged in some
scientific literature as high as 30 per cent for breast cancer survivors.
"There is a risk, but it's a much smaller risk than we had anticipated," McNeely said, noting of the four
women who did experience swelling, only one woman's swelling persisted. "That's good news for women
who would not fly in the past because they were so afraid of developing this chronic swelling in the limbs,"
McNeely said.
LIVING WITH THE CONDITION
Ardrossan elementary school teacher Ellen Husselby knows firsthand how difficult living with lymphedema
can be, after she developed the condition within weeks of breast cancer surgery in 2002.
The size of her left arm fluctuates, sometimes ballooning so much she's forced to wear a compression
sleeve for weeks, only removing it for showers.
Jewelry and clothing don't fit quite right, her arm can ache, feels heavy and people sometimes stare,
Husselby said.
Then there is the ever-present threat of infection. Something as simple as a hangnail or scratch could send
Husselby to the emergency ward for intravenous antibiotics. "A mosquito bite can cause all sorts of
havoc," Husselby said.
Despite being warned that flying could aggravate her condition, Husselby vacations in Florida and Mexico,
and has flown across the country.
"You have to live," Husselby, 53, said. She has participated in dragon boat racing although was also
warned not to lift anything heavy and to avoid repetitive upper body motion.
"A lot of the recommendations and precautions we give to women with breast cancer have been around
for 20 to 30 years," McNeely said. "Even though surgery techniques have improved and radiation
techniques have improved, our advice hasn't changed."
All of the women in McNeely's study were travelling to Australia to compete in an international dragon
boat racing festival, including Atkinson, a founder of Edmonton's Breast Friends dragon-boat racing team.
As a result, McNeely may conduct further research to determine if the rate of risk is consistent with the
greater breast cancer population, regardless of fitness level.
tvela@thejournal.canwest.com
August 20, 2010 – Flying May Not Increase Risk of Lymphedema for Breast Cancer Survivors - Denise
DeWitt -
Women who have had lymph nodes removed in connection with breast cancer surgery are often warned
that flying in an airplane can cause dangerous swelling known as lymphedema. But a new study indicates
those warnings may be out-of-date.
Lymph is a fluid in the body that helps fight illness. It travels throughout the body in special tubes and
collects in glands or pockets known as lymph nodes. Lymph nodes can become swollen, often because
they are helping fight an infection. Most lymph nodes are found in the head and neck region of the body.
There are also many lymph nodes in the armpits and groin area.
When a person has breast cancer, cancer cells can separate from the tumor and migrate to the lymph
nodes in the arm pit area. Because the lymph system runs throughout the body, it is possible for cancer to
quickly spread through the lymph system. To help prevent the spread of cancer, lymph nodes in the arm
pit are often surgically removed along with a breast cancer tumor.
When the lymph system is damaged, including when surgery is done to remove some of the nodes or
during radiation treatments for cancer, the area around the missing nodes may start to collect extra fluid.
This kind of fluid build-up in the arms or legs is known as lymphedema.
Part of the standard treatment for breast cancer survivors includes warnings about the risks of
lymphedema. Women are often warned that flying in an airplane can trigger lymphedema in the arm due to
changes in air pressure in the airplane cabin. But a new study at the University of Alberta revealed that
only 5 percent of women who fly after breast cancer treatment are at risk of developing any swelling in the
arm as a result of the flight.
Researcher Margie McNeely teamed up with researchers in Australia to study 60 breast cancer survivors
who were flying from Canada to Australia. Another group of 12 women in the study flew from one part of
Australia to another part. Researchers took measurements in Canada before the flight began and
compared the amount of fluid in each woman’s arm after the flight landed in Australia.
The study showed that 95 percent of the women had no swelling in their arms.
Four women had a slight amount of fluid retention, but six weeks after they returned to Canada, three of
the four were back to normal. The one remaining woman appeared to be at risk for continued chronic
swelling after flying.
McNeely said that previous beliefs about the risk of swelling were not based on solid evidence. The
results of this study indicate that while there is some risk of lymphedema for breast cancer survivors when
flying, that risk is actually very low.
The results of this study were published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. If you have
questions about the risks of lymphedema, talk to your doctor.
August 21, 2010 - Breast Friends row for science - Local boat team helps breast cancer breakthrough -
Kevin Ma -
Local dragon-boaters and scientists have busted a myth about plane rides, swollen arms and breast
cancer.
Margie McNeely, a professor of physiotherapy at the University of Alberta, released the results of her
study on lymphedema and air travel at Edmonton’s Louise McKinney Riverfront Park on Thursday. The
study was done with the help of the Breast Friends dragon boat team, a group of breast cancer survivors
from the Capital region.
Women with breast cancer often are warned that plane rides can cause chronic swelling in their arms,
McNeely says, a condition called lymphedema. That warning has been around for decades, but has never
actually been tested.
McNeely and her team decided to test this theory three years ago on women flying to a dragon-boat
regatta in Queensland, Australia, some of whom were from the Breast Friends group.
They measured the arms of 60 Canadian and 12 Australian women before and after their flight. Of those,
just four women showed any signs of swelling after the trip, and only one woman showed signs of
permanent swelling.
This means the risks of air travel to breast cancer survivors isn’t as great as we thought, McNeely says.
“There is a risk with flying, but that risk is really quite small.”
Lymphedema is the permanent, often painful swelling in the limbs of people who have been treated for
cancer.
Fluid gets shuttled around the body by the veins and the lymphatic system, McNeely says. “It’s almost like
our sewage system.” Since cancer often spreads through lymph nodes and vessels, doctors remove lymph
nodes from the armpits of women with breast cancer to see if it has spread. That damages the women’s
biological sewer system, causing their arms to swell with fluid.
You can see the results in Bernadette Giblin, a librarian at Sturgeon Heights School, St. Albert resident
and Breast Friends member. Her left arm is about a half-centimetre thicker than her right. “Sometimes it
swells up and I can’t wear my shirt, I can’t wear my jacket,” she says. Compression bandages help, but
the swelling never goes away. “It’s painful.”
For the last few decades, McNeely says, doctors have long thought that pressure changes during long
flights could cause lymphedema by reducing pressure on lymph vessels — that’s why they’ve been telling
women to wear pressure bandages.
McNeely’s team used measuring tape and a bioelectrical impedance analyser (which checks electrical
resistance) to track swelling in the women’s arms before and after the flight. They found that 95 per cent
of them showed no difference in arm size. They concluded that the risk of air travel worsening or causing
lymphedema was pretty low, and that wearing a compression bandage was unlikely to cause or prevent it.
Doctors’ advice hasn’t kept up with the times, McNeely says. “Our surgical techniques have improved,
our radiation therapy techniques have improved, but our advice has stayed the same,” she says. “We may
be worrying ladies more than we need to be about the risks associated with flying.”
Boat power
Dragon-boaters are very fit, McNeely says, which might have made them more resistant to lymphedema.
She says she hopes to do a follow-up study to see if these results apply to all women.
Research by Vancouver’s Don McKenzie shows that upper-body exercise, particularly dragon-boating,
can help women manage lymphedema, Giblin says. “It’s been an integral part of my recovery,” she says of
the sport.
The study was published in the April 2010 issue of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. The Breast
Friends team will be racing this weekend in the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival.
August 22, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot to Show Solaris Compression Products at Québec Lymphedema
Seminar -
Lymphedema Depot will be showing the Solaris line of lymphedema care products at the Québec
conference on therapeutic compression hosted by the Lymphedema Association of Québec and Clinique
médical et sportive Régina Assumpta on September 30, 2010
St. Catharines, Canada, August 22, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Lymphedema Depot Ltd. will be presenting
Solaris compression products at the conference titled “Take Charge of Your Lymphedema; A Guide to
the Use of Compression,” a bilingual information conference with simultaneous interpretation. The
conference will take place on Monday August 30, 2010, in Montréal and is sponsored by the
Lymphedema Association of Québec and Clinique médicale et sportive Régina Assumpta. There is no
charge for attendance.
“We’re excited about this because this is the first time we will be personally showing Solaris products in
Québec. We are looking forward to this important conference on compression, and we thank the
Lymphedema Association of Québec and Clinique médicale et sportive Régina Assumpta for sponsoring
this unique event,” said John Mulligan, co-founder and Clinical Specialist and resident therapist at
Lymphedema Depot Ltd.
There will be pre-conference workshops devoted to the practical side of therapeutic compression for
lymphedema management in the afternoon. After the pre-conference workshops there will be refreshments
and an opportunity to view the products put on display by the exhibitors.
At the conference there will be a panel of speakers and a moderator, followed by a Question Period,
allowing for interaction between the audience and the speakers.
The welcoming remarks will be made by Rachel Pritzker, President of the Lymphedema Association of
Quebec. The conference will be moderated by Michel Eid, MT, CDT, Instructor, Vodder School
International. Featured speakers will be:
Dr. Christian Schuchhardt, co-editor of the manual Lymphedema, Diagnosis & Therapy;
Dr. Anna Towers, Director MUHC (McGill University Health Centre) Lymphedema Clinic and Director
of the McGill University Lymphedema Research Program;
Robert Harris, Director, Vodder School International;
Monica Coggiola, PT, Instructor, Vodder School International;
Dorit Tidhar, MSc PT, Creator of Aqua Lymphatic Therapy, Tidhar Method; Educational Coordinator,
MUHC (McGill University Health Centre) Lymphedema Clinic.
The Lymphedema Association of Québec is a charitable organization founded in 1999 to provide
education, awareness, and support to those with lymphedema, and to encourage research leading to
effective treatments and eventually a cure. Find out more at http://www.infolympho.ca
Lymphedema Depot is a Canadian company dedicated to bringing new options in lymphedema care
products to Canada. We are the exclusive Canadian distributor of the Solaris line of medical compression
garments for the management of lymphatic and venous edemas. Find out more at http://www.
LymphedemaDepot.com.
Contact: John Mulligan at john@LymphedemaDepot.com
August 23, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot Announces New Solaris Silver Liners - Wire Service Canada
(press release) -
Solaris, manufacturers of the Tribute, Caresia Bandage Liners, Swell Spots and ReadyWrap inelatic
medical binders, has introduced Solaris Silver Liners, a comfortable sock that contains silver fibres to
increase comfort when wearing compression garments for lymphedema, lipedema, chronic venous
insufficiency and other chronic swelling conditions. The Solaris Silver Liners are now available in Canada
exclusively from Lymphedema Depot Ltd.
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada---Lymphedema Depot is happy to announce the new Silver Liner from
Solaris. Lymphedema Depot now carries the Solaris Silver Liner, which has been designed specifically to
be worn under compression garments. The Solaris Silver Liners are manufactured with a blend of
materials that result in a soft, comfortable and breathable fabric with anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-
static properties due to the presence of the highly regarded X-Static brand silver fibres.
Wearing the Silver Liner increases comfort and protects the material of compression garments from direct
contact with the skin. The Solaris Silver Liners help to extend the life of the product and keep the
compression garment fresher longer. Compression garments are often needed to treat lymphedema,
lipedema, chronic venous insufficiency and other chronic swelling conditions.
As an introductory offer, for a limited time, Lymphedema Depot will supply the Silver Liner at no
additional charge with every ReadyWrap Inelastic Medical Binder ordered. Silver Liners are also
available separately.
For more information about this and other Solaris products in Canada contact lymphedema Depot at 905-
687-8500 or visit our website at http://www.lymphedemadepot.com. To keep current with product
updates and news visit our blog at http://lymphedemadepot.com/blog.
Contact: info@LymphedemaDepot.com
John Mulligan RMT/CLT-LANA, Clinical Specialist, Lymphedema Depot Ltd
August 23, 2010 - Breast cancer survivors can take planes - UPI.com -
EDMONTON, Alberta, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- A Canadian researcher says breast cancer survivors need not
fear air travel because of fear of lymphedema -- swelling in the arm.
Margie McNeely of the University of Alberta in Edmonton says women who've had breast cancer surgery
where lymph nodes have been removed are often warned changes in airplane cabin pressure could trigger
chronic swelling in the arm called lymphedema.
However, McNeely says 95 percent of these women will not have any arm swelling.
McNeely, Sharon Kilbreath of the University of Sydney in Australia and colleagues conducted a study
that found 5 percent of women with lymph nodes removed developed any arm swelling when flying. Of
these four women, three were back to normal when tested six weeks after the flight and one woman was
found at possible risk for chronic swelling.
The study included 60 Canadian breast cancer survivors flying to Australia to attend a festival and 12
women coming to the festival from different areas of Australia.
Tests were made of both arms -- both when leaving and upon arrival -- using a device that detected subtle
fluid difference changes between the unaffected arm and the one from which lymph nodes were removed.
The study is published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
Wound Management Technologies' CellerateRX(R) Activated Collagen(TM) Debuts at the South African
Diabetic Foot Working Group Congress in Cape Town - MarketWatch - August 18, 2010
August 26, 2010 - Breast-Cancer Survivors Told Air Flying Does Not Raise Lymphedema Risk -
Massage Magazine –
Lymph therapy, or lymphatic drainage, is a type of therapy often practiced by massage therapists. The
therapy assists lymphedema patients by addressing fluid retention and swelling through very gentle strokes
and specific protocols that sometimes include taping or bandaging.
For many years, breast-cancer survivors have been warned that air travel could result in lymphedema.
But new research indicates certain precautions about the risk of lymphedema for breast-cancer survivors
are outdated.
University of Alberta researcher Margie McNeely says women who have had breast-cancer surgery are
often warned that pressure changes in an airplane cabin could trigger lymphedema, or chronic swelling in
the arm; however, the study she did with an Australian research team showed that only five per cent of
breast-cancer survivors are likely at risk of developing any arm swelling when flying, according to a
University of Alberta press release.
The caution about lymphedema risk is for women who have had lymph nodes removed from the armpit, a
common procedure during breast-cancer treatment. Because these lymph nodes help drain fluid when they
are removed, there is the potential for chronic swelling—still, the research indicates the risk of developing
lymphedema by these women is low.
McNeely teamed up with Australian researcher Sharon Kilbreath to study the effect of air travel on 72
breast-cancer survivors.
The researchers compared both of the participants' arms, the arm where lymph nodes were removed from
the armpit and the opposite unaffected arm, with a device that can detect subtle changes in fluid difference
between the arms, the press release noted. The measurements were done prior to and after the air travel.
Findings indicate that 95 per cent of the women had no arm swelling. Four women had a slight increase
but at a follow-up test, done six weeks after the women returned to Canada, three were back to normal
and only one woman was found at possible risk for chronic swelling.
McNeely says that, until now, information about air travel and lymphedema risk has not been based on
solid evidence, but says this research shows that while there is a risk of developing lymphedema during
flight, that risk is very low.
This research was published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
August 26, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot Announces New Solaris Silver Liners –
Lymphedema Depot is happy to announce the new Silver Liner from Solaris, Inc.
Lymphedema Depot now carries the Solaris Silver Liner, which has been designed specifically to be worn
under compression garments. The Solaris Silver Liners are manufactured with a blend of materials that
result in a soft, comfortable and breathable fabric with anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-static
properties due to the presence of the highly regarded X-Static brand silver fibres.
Wearing the Silver Liner increases comfort and protects the material of compression garments from direct
contact with the skin. The Solaris Silver Liners help to extend the life of the product and keep the
compression garment fresher longer. Compression garments are often needed to treat lymphedema,
lipedema, chronic venous insufficiency and other chronic swelling conditions.
As an introductory offer, for a limited time, Lymphedema Depot will supply the Silver Liner at no
additional charge with every ReadyWrap Inelastic Medical Binder ordered. Silver Liners are also
available separately.
For more information about this and other Solaris products in Canada contact lymphedema Depot at 905-
687-8500 or visit our website at http://www.lymphedemadepot.com. To keep current with product
updates and news visit our blog at http://lymphedemadepot.com/blog.
Contact: info@LymphedemaDepot.com
John Mulligan RMT/CLT-LANA, Clinical Specialist, Lymphedema Depot Ltd
John@LymphedemaDepot.com
August 26. 2010 - New Cancer Center Offers Comprehensive Care - South Bend Tribune –
On August 4, 2010, patient, physicians and community members gathered to celebrate the ribbon cutting
of the now open $15 million, 50,000 square-foot Michiana Hematology Oncology (MHO) regional
cancer center.
Traditionally, patients have had to travel to different locations to receive the various services they need to
fight cancer. MHO's new regional cancer center is the first in the region to offer cancer care that is truly
comprehensive.
"This new regional comprehensive cancer center will have everything a cancer patient will ever need," said
Bilal Ansari, MD, medical oncologist for Michiana Hematology Oncology and Medical Director of
Inpatient Oncology Services at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center.
SJRMC has partnered with MHO in the delivery of state-of-the-art Radiation Therapy at the new cancer
center, including the region's first and only linear accelerator with "rapid arc" technology and respiratory
gaiting. This technology delivers more precise treatments much faster than other technologies, and allows
for pinpoint accuracy of radiation directly at the tumor site.
Beyond radiation therapy, SJRMC also wanted to provide a host of additional services to assist patients
in their battle against cancer including:
Cancer Research - In partnership with the Northern Indiana Cancer Research Consortium (NICRC), we
aggressively enroll patients in research trials to ensure the latest medications and treatments are available
to our community.
Genetics & Risk Assessment Center - The only one of its kind in the region, the Genetics and Risk
Assessment Center at Saint Joseph Cancer Institute helps recently diagnosed cancer patients determine
the likelihood that their cancer is inherited. This information helps patients and their families develop
customized screening recommendations to better protect themselves from cancer in the future.
Lymphedema Program - Patients who have been diagnosed with certain types of cancer sometimes suffer
an increased risk for developing lymphedema. The Lymphedema Clinic at Saint Joseph Regional Medical
Center works closely with Michiana Hematology Oncology and is specially trained to provide treatments
for lymphedema that are sensitive to the needs of cancer patients.
Patient Navigators - The fight against cancer is often daunting and overwhelming, especially in the
beginning. To help reduce anxiety, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center nurse navigators serve as
liaisons for patients in today's complex healthcare system, helping to answer questions, schedule
appointments and tests, fill out forms, and connect patients with additional resources and support services.
Women's Task Force - Founded in 2001, the Women's Task Force of Saint Joseph Regional Medical
Center is an all-volunteer group of women cancer survivors who develop health programs and initiatives
that promote early detection, treatment options, supportive care and survivorship for women in Michiana.
Web site/Related Links
Click here to visit the MHO Web site.
More Info
The new MHO Cancer Center is located across the street from the SJRMC hospital at 5340 Holy Cross
Parkway in Mishawaka, Indiana. Call 574-237-1328.
August 26, 2010 - Charlotte Hungerford's Center for Cancer Care breaks ground for expansion -
Torrington Register Citizen - By MIKE AGOGLIATI –
TORRINGTON — Charlotte Hungerford Hospital broke ground for a building that will house a new
machine to help cancer patients in the coming months.
Construction recently began on a 2,200 square foot addition to the current ground floor radiation
oncology treatment area.
The Center For Cancer Care, located at 200 Kennedy Drive, will accommodate a new linear accelerator
capable of delivering image guided radiation therapy (IGRT).
According to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital officials, the program has also added lymphedema evaluation
and treatment to the menu of complementary therapies and services offered to cancer patients and their
families.
The added service for cancer patients affected with lymphedema — a condition of chronic swelling and
tissue inflammation as a result of some surgery and cancer treatments, will be offered on Fridays from 1 to
5 p.m. at the center.
The addition will house the vault for the center’s new linear accelerator and several additional associated
ancillary rooms including a control area, nursing area, patient waiting area and changing rooms, restrooms,
and a mechanical room.
The project also includes a new back entrance, an expansion of the center’s back parking area, and
renovations to existing space to make patient flow and patient privacy more efficient.
“We are so pleased to offer our patients local access to the best and most comprehensive therapy and
treatment approaches available today,” said Elizabeth Whalen, MD, a radiation oncologist at Charlotte
Hungerford Hospital.
The center plans to take delivery and install a new Elekta Infinity linear accelerator in early spring 2011.
Robert Taylor, the center’s chief therapist, said the addition of the new device will make it easier to treat
patients because it offers imaging similar to a CT Scan.
“Technology is always moving forward,” Taylor said. “The new machine will give us the availability to take
a CT scan slice from the patient and spot where the cancer is in soft tissue.”
Taylor said 99 percent of cancers occur in soft tissue, and the machine will be able to narrow down the
target area for treatment to a more exact location.
“We will be able to give the patient a higher dose for treatment, which will lead to better cure rates,”
Taylor said. “This can also lead to less short-term and less long-term side effects from treatment.”
Since the IGRT machine is being installed in a new area, patients undergoing current radiation treatments
throughout the construction phase will have uninterrupted service.
The entire center will stay in continuous operation up until and including when the additional treatment
modality is offered.
“We are delighted to be able to bring more and better services to the community,” said hospital president
Dan McIntyre. “This is a significant accomplishment for a community hospital. This is a significant addition
of technology to our cancer center.”
“It is important that patients can stay in the community they are familiar with for treatments,” McIntyre
said. “This will allow them to get the best care without having to travel too far.”
The construction will be ongoing during the next eight months, and the machine should arrive at the center
in April. According to Taylor, everything should be up and running by June 2011.
Mike Agogliati can be reached by e-mail at magogliati@registercitizen.com.
August 28, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot Offers Solaris Foot and Lower Leg Swelling Solutions in Canada
- John Mulligan -
Foot care is a growing field of professional healthcare service that is just starting to come into its own as a
profession in Canada. Lymphedema Depot, in partnership with Solaris Inc., is getting involved by offering
a line of unique foot care garments that make life easier for all concerned. From the Solaris Tribute to
Caresia footwear, ReadyWrap inelastic medical binders and the new Solaris Silver Liner socks, products
from Lymphedema Depot deliver a wider range of options than ever before.
St. Catharines, Ontario---Foot care is a wide-ranging and complex field of service. As a discipline it can
encompass everything from full-service foot-care clinics with a resident chiropodist or podiatrist, to the
visiting nurse who provides basic foot care in the patient’s home. In any setting the practitioner is likely to
see dependent edema, swelling due to chronic venous insufficiency and diabetic feet.
Lymphedema Depot carries a line of products manufactured in the US by Solaris, Inc., that can help
address these problems. Healing is highly dependent on healthy micro-circulation and resolution of edema
and micro-edemas, and the Solaris products are designed to assist in these processes.
Caresia footwear encompasses the whole foot to a few centimetres above the ankles. The seams are on
the outside to prevent irritation. The Caresia footwear features sewn channels filled with chipped foam on
all surfaces, including the sole. This creates soft pressure differentials that positively affect micro-circulation
in the tissues. Swelling is addressed and softened and circulation is gently encouraged. They can be worn
to address many forms of edema affecting the foot and ankle. They are also gentle enough to complement
wound dressings for lower extremity ulcers to assist in avoiding lymphostasis and encouraging the healing
process.
Caresia is also available in lower leg wear, covering the feet and extending to just below the knees. For
swelling related to chronic venous insufficiency or dependent swelling that extends above the ankles, the
Caresia lower leg garment provides an effective light variable compression. The compression can be
tailored with short stretch bandaging if higher levels of compression are needed. It can be worn overnight
to help manage chronic swelling or during the day around the house for more comprehensive needs.
For foot and lower leg swelling associated with lymphedema, venous insufficiency and other conditions
Lymphedema Depot also offers the Solaris ReadyWrap line of products. ReadyWraps are inelastic
medical binders that offer distinct advantages in controlling swelling. They create a rigid barrier to contain
swelling of the foot and lower leg, yet they are comfortable, breathable and skin friendly. ReadyWraps are
also low profile garments, allowing the wearer to wear shoes and trousers normally. They are available in
a toes-to-ankle foot unit as well as a separate ankle-to-below-knee leg unit.
Lymphedema Depot also now carries the Solaris Silver Liner, a sock which has been designed specifically
to be worn under compression garments. The Silver Liners are manufactured with a blend of materials that
result in a soft, comfortable and breathable fabric with anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-static
properties due to the presence of the highly regarded X-Static brand silver fibres.
Wearing the Silver Liner increases comfort and protects the material of compression garments from direct
contact with the skin. The Solaris Silver Liners help to and keep the compression garment fresher longer.
Lymphedema Depot Ltd. is a Canadian company dedicated to bringing new options in lymphedema care
products to Canada. We are the exclusive Canadian importer and distributor of the Solaris line of
compression garments for the treatment of lymphatic and venous edemas. Solaris, Inc. has been
manufacturing premium medical garments in the U.S. for over a decade, designed for patients living with
swelling and swelling related conditions such as lymphedema and venous insufficiency. Solaris’ garments
are warranted and use proven components to keep patients comfortable and free from worry. Solaris
takes pride in being at the forefront of technology and constantly evolving, often times based on customer
feedback and suggestions. Lymphedema Depot and Solaris both strive to make the management of
lymphedema less complex, more effective, and ultimately easier for patients.
Learn more about Solaris lymphedema and swelling-control products by visiting www.
LymphedemaDepot.com. If you have any questions, feel free to call us any time at 905-687-8500, or
email us at info@LymphedemaDepot.com. We are always happy to hear from you.
August 30, 2010 - Treating lymphedema at Piedmont Hospital - Therapists help patients ‘get on with their
lives' - Atlanta Journal Constitution - Laura Raines -
There’s no cure for lymphedema — the accumulation of lymphatic fluid that causes harmful swelling in
limbs and other parts of the body — but there is help.
Five therapists at Piedmont Hospital’s rehabilitation department work with lymphedema patients to help
them manage their condition and gain a better quality of life.
“Lymphedema is like diabetes in that there are ways to get it under control,” said DeCourcy Squire, PT,
CLT-LANA, CI-CS, a physical therapist and lymphedema specialist/instructor. “We use the protocol —
complete decongestive therapy — which is recognized internationally as the most effective protocol.”
Lymphedema therapy consists of manual lymphatic drainage, bandaging, proper skin care, diet,
compression garments and remedial exercises.
“Each patient’s therapy is individualized, depending on the severity of their condition, what other medical
problems they might have and how active and mobile they are,” Squire said.
Patients can be born with or develop primary lymphedema because of defects in the lymphatic system.
Other people acquire secondary lymphedema as a result of surgery, radiation, infection or trauma (such as
a car accident). Those at a higher risk for lymphedema include people who have had surgery and radiation
to treat breast cancer and other types of cancers, melanoma surgery or who have had lymph nodes
removed.
Specially trained therapists treat patients during daily two- to four-hour sessions for four to eight weeks.
“When you get a patient who has suffered for five years without any treatment and they see results in a
week, it’s very exciting,” Squire said. “It’s inspiring for therapists because you can see a difference. You
know you’re making an impact and helping people get on with their lives.”
A physical therapist since 1989, Squire didn’t learn how to care for lymphedema patients when she was in
school.
“I learned about it through a continuing education class and went on to become certified in 1992,” she said.
It takes 135 hours of specialized course work, a year working in the field and a passing grade on a
national exam to become certified through the Lymphology Association of North America.
Squire has practiced in the lymphedema program at Piedmont since 2002. Working with the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, she has trained health care workers in Haiti, where filariasis (a disease
transmitted by infected mosquitoes that dilates the lymph system) leads to a high incidence of
lymphedema. “It was a wonderful experience and I hope to do more work there. It’s a great thing to feel
useful,” she said. With more research being done on the lymphatic system, lymphedema awareness is
growing.
Yet there are still people who don’t understand it or recognize it, said Gwen Forbes-Kirby, PT, CLT-
LANA, a therapist in the Piedmont Hospital program. “We had a patient who was told that her hand
wasn’t all that swollen, but you couldn’t even see the tendons,” she said.
A physical therapist for 25 years, Forbes-Kirby knew it was lymphedema and helped the patient. “Even
though I know how the therapy works, every time I take a bandage off, it’s like the first time. I’m always
amazed,” she said.
Forbes-Kirby helped start the women’s center at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children in
Honolulu, when her husband was stationed there in the mid 1990s.
A breast cancer survivor, Judy Muncaster, made it possible for Forbes-Kirby to get lymphedema therapy
training. “She had breast cancer and developed lymphedema, but because she was a flight attendant, she
could fly to the mainland for treatment,” Forbes-Kirby said. “When she recognized that the treatment was
not available in the islands, she wrote a grant that sent me to Australia for training. “For a while there, I
was the only person in the Pacific Islands trained to do the therapy, and my patients came from all over.
That taught me that one person can make a significant change.”
At Piedmont, Forbes-Kirby established the Maximal Reach program for breast cancer patients. “We let
them know their risks after surgery and radiation, follow them through their treatment and help them get
back to their normal activities,” she said.
For patients who already have gone through surgery, hair loss and side effects from chemotherapy and
radiation treatment, developing lymphedema can be overwhelming. Forbes-Kirby is excited that
researchers are looking for a genetic component to primary lymphedema. “This is an amazing field, and
we’re seeing changes every day,” she said.
The therapists at Piedmont work closely with the Lighthouse Lymphedema Network, a national
organization that spreads the word about lymphedema and supports patients.
Educating patients and the public about lymphedema is a big part of the job, especially with a growing
population and an increasing number of cancer survivors, said Jackie Echols, OTR/L, CSLT, a clinician
with the lymphedema program at Piedmont. “Lymphedema patients come with many challenges,” she said.
“Getting compression garments on swollen limbs is a task, but then occupational therapists are the queens
of creating adaptive equipment.”
The job requires hands-on, physical work. Lifting and wrapping the swollen limbs of 200-pound patients
isn’t easy, but seeing their relief is worth it, Echols said. “When we take the bandages off, the limb is
smaller and not so heavy or hot,” she said. “The skin is supple, less tight and the discomfort is greatly
reduced. Our patients are so grateful.
“We spend about a quarter of our time on skin care, because obese patients can get infections easily. We
work closely with our wound-care specialists and see a lot of complicated cases here.”
Not every hospital has a lymphedema program, and even fewer have five certified specialists. “This is the
best group of people I’ve ever worked with,” Forbes-Kirby said. “We’re all doing something we really
love, and we get ideas from one another. There’s a great synergy here that helps our patients.”
August 30, 2010 - Lymphedema Depot Offers Solaris Foot and Lower Leg Swelling Solutions in Canada
- Prudent Press Agency –
Foot care is a wide-ranging and complex field of service. As a discipline it can encompass everything from
full-service foot-care clinics with a resident chiropodist or podiatrist, to the visiting nurse who provides
basic foot care in the patient’s home. In any setting the practitioner is likely to see dependent edema,
swelling due to chronic venous insufficiency and diabetic feet.
Lymphedema Depot carries a line of products manufactured in the US by Solaris, Inc., that can help
address these problems. Healing is highly dependent on healthy micro-circulation and resolution of edema
and micro-edemas, and the Solaris products are designed to assist in these processes.
August 30, 2010 - The Claim: Flying After Breast Cancer Surgery Can Cause Swelling - New York
Times - ANAHAD O'CONNOR -
THE FACTS Women who have had surgery to remove lymph nodes, a common breast cancer treatment,
are often warned that flying can lead to lymphedema, a painful swelling, in their arms.
The concern is that changes in cabin pressure might influence the movement of fluid in the lymphatic
system. Because lymph nodes drain this fluid, the thinking goes, it could more easily accumulate in a
person’s affected arm. But when scientists looked at the effects of air travel on breast cancer survivors in
a recent study, they found that the risk was small. In the study, published in the journal Breast Cancer
Research and Treatment, the scientists followed and examined 72 women in the weeks before and after
air travel. Most of the women were flying between Canada and Australia. All but a few had no arm
swelling after their time in the air, and only one showed possible signs of chronic swelling six weeks later.
Dr. Patrick Borgen, director of breast cancer services at the Maimonides Cancer Center in Brooklyn,
who was not involved in the research, said the findings were interesting but not definitive.
For patients who have had only one or two nodes removed, he said, there is no risk in flying; women who
undergo complete removal, and particularly those with higher levels of body fat, should still consult their
doctors beforehand. “The No. 1 predictor of who gets lymphedema is the size of the arm to start with,” he
said. “Women who have a larger arm size should still be careful, and I think there’s still some value in
wearing a compressive sleeve on long flights.”
August 31, 2010 - THE BOTTOM LINE The risk of lymphedema from flying appears to be small. Rivers
Cancer Center offers cancer education & support meetings - River Falls Journal -
The Rivers Cancer Center will be hosting support and educational gatherings to adults facing cancer, as
well as friends and family who want to learn more and connect with others on this unexpected journey.
These free meetings will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. every other Wednesday on Sept. 15, 29, Oct. 13, 27,
Nov. 10 at River Falls Area Hospital. Each session has a unique focus and participants may come to one
session or attend all in the series.
Meeting topics will include cancer basics, treatment and prevention, symptom management, nutrition,
exercise and wellness, lymphedema, alternative healing, resources and the role of the American Cancer
Society.
Each session will begin with a guest speaker, have time for questions, and end with an opportunity to
connect with others around the challenges of cancer.
For additional information or questions please contact Amy Cernohous, RN or Kathy Hogberg, MSW at
715-425-6155
August 31, 2010 - Pathology experts to evaluate medical, surgical breast cancer treatment at World
Senologyc Congress - News-Medical.net -
Spain will held the 16th World Senologyc Congress between the 20th and 22nd of October. This meeting
will allow doctors to evaluate the progress achieved in medical and surgical breast cancer treatment and its
future challenges. The best time to rebuilding breasts, how to preserve patients' fertility, the use of nodes
self-transplant to treat lymphedema, the develop of new molecular targets and the use of stem cells will be
some of the key issues to be treated during the congress.
Over 1.500 breast pathology experts will meet between the 20th and 22nd of October in the 16th World
Congress of the Senologic International Society (SIS). This meeting and the 29th Congress of the Spanish
Society of Senology and Breast Diseases (SESPM) will take place in the Valencia, coinciding with the
International Breast Cancer Day.
According to Dr. Carlos Vázquez, president of the SIS and the SESPM, "this meeting will allow us to
update the new advances in breast surgery, specially regarding to the sentinel node biopsy, and to study in
depth the latest breast immediate rebuilding techniques and radiotherapy standards". "We will also have
the chance to asses with worldwide renowned experts about the radiology diagnosis methodology and its
possible uses in life surgery", he adds.
From a socio-sanitary point of view, the congress' members will evaluate the efficacy of breast cancer
screening using mammography and they will check the results obtain by the hospital breast units in terms of
survival and quality of life. These structures allow patients to receive a complete and multidisciplinary
management of their tumor.
On the other hand, according to Dr. Vicente Guillem, president of the Congress Scientific Committee,
experts will also approach other interesting issues for patients' quality of life such as: the best time and best
technique to undergo rebuilding surgery after a mastectomy; the chances for young patients to preserve the
possibilities of getting pregnant in the future or the potential impact of pregnancy induction therapies. Other
matters to study will be translational research in breast cancer -as lymphatic gland self-transplant to treat
lymphedema, one of the most common consequences of surgery- the assessment of new molecular targets
to develop more efficient and personalized treatments.
Many wellknown worldwide experts will attend to this Congress such as Prof. Veronessi, from Milan,
Prof. Cezap, from Buenos Aires, Prof. Masia, from Barcelona, Prof. Muggia and Cordón-Cardo, both
from New York, among others.
August 31, 2010 - Risk small in flying after breast cancer surgery - The Detroit News - Anahad
O'Connor / New York Times -
Women who have had surgery to remove lymph nodes, a common breast cancer treatment, are often
warned that flying can lead to lymphedema, a painful swelling, in their arms.
The concern is that changes in cabin pressure might influence the movement of fluid in the lymphatic
system. Because lymph nodes drain this fluid, the thinking goes, it could more easily accumulate in a
person's affected arm. But when scientists looked at the effects of air travel on breast cancer survivors in a
recent study, they found that the risk was small. In the study, published in the journal Breast Cancer
Research and Treatment, the scientists followed and examined 72 women in the weeks before and after
air travel. Most of the women were flying between Canada and Australia.
All but a few had no arm swelling after their time in the air, and only one showed possible signs of chronic
swelling six weeks later.
Dr. Patrick Borgen, director of breast cancer services at the Maimonides Cancer Center in New York,
who was not involved in the research, said the findings were interesting but not definitive.
For patients who have had only one or two nodes removed, he said, there is no risk in flying; women who
undergo complete removal, and particularly those with higher levels of body fat, should still consult their
doctors beforehand.