This years Lymphoedema Awareness Week was 4-8 March and Lymphoedema Specialist Physiotherapist Fiona Harland used it to raise awareness of the condition and spread the word about what’s offered at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading.
The service is the only NHS-commissioned service for cancer patients living with lymphoedema in the West of Berkshire, and Fiona has spoken about how the condition affects patients: “Lymphoedema is swelling that happens when the lymphatic drainage system isn’t working efficiently.
“It can often happen in our patients who have had cancer because they have had lymph nodes removed as part of their cancer treatment, or they have had radiotherapy so their drainage system isn’t working all that well.
“Swelling can accumulate and patients can have symptoms of heavy, achy and swollen limbs. Sometimes mobility is affected – for instance if they have swelling in their hands they may not be able to grip or hold things properly. They might find clothes or shoes very difficult to fit depending on what part of the body is affected.
“It can affect someone with their work, leisure, activities and emotionally it can be really difficult for our patients as they can often get comments from other people about their body.”
Fiona goes on to talk about how they support people in the community with lymphoedema. She said: “We support about 450 patients in the hospice and in the community with cancer related lymphoedema a year here at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice. Our team of four will assess new patients and diagnose them, and try and teach people about what can help lymphoedema and what to be careful with.
“We work with patients to give them support and find out what their priorities are so we can help plan treatment tailored to them. We might be teaching techniques to do themselves to help manage their swelling, such as specialist massage or compression garments. We also do hands-on treatment ourselves like lymphatic drainage massage.
“We know a lot of our patients can feel really isolated and the most rewarding part of my role is seeing patients becoming more confident and feeling more in control of their symptoms. Our team are great, they are really creative and enthusiastic and looking for new ways to support our patients.
“One man we supported was receiving treatment for prostate cancer and had a really swollen leg that meant he couldn’t drive. He really got on board with the techniques we showed him and because of that he was able to drive again and even booked a holiday before his next round of cancer treatment. More than anything he said he felt really relieved and supported and he knew he could contact us if he needed.
“Knowing we have made a difference is what we work for at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice.”
For more information about Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice and its services, please visit our website.
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About Sue Ryder:
At Sue Ryder, we can’t make life’s most difficult moments easy, but we can carry some of the load. For more than 70 years, we have been a source of strength and support for anyone living with a life-limiting illness or grief.
Dying and grief are universal experiences, but too many people face them alone. We are a safe and reassuring hand you can reach for. From providing care and support for someone at the end of their life to helping someone manage their grief, we know there is no one size fits all when it comes to how we cope and the help we need. We campaign for everyone who is approaching the end of their life or grieving to have access to the right support, at the right time. And we seek to break down the barriers to talking about dying and grief – so we can all be better prepared and better equipped to be there for each other.
We can make a positive difference during even the darkest of times. Whether in the last months, weeks or days of life, or living with grief, we help people live the best life they possibly can. We are there when it matters.
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