HOSPICE at Home West Cumbria are raising awareness of Lymphoedema as part of the national Lymphoedema Awareness Week 2023.
The charity is the sole provider of specialist lymphoedema services in west Cumbria. Its team of specialist nurses work with other healthcare providers including GPs, NHS Clinical Nurse Specialists and Community Nursing teams.
Lymphoedema is a chronic condition where excess fluid is retained in bodily tissues causing swelling which can be painful and distressing for patients.
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Alana Phizacklea, Lymphoedema Nurse Specialist at Hospice at Home West Cumbria said: “It’s so important for us to make people aware of Lymphoedema as it is a condition that affects so many people, yet it goes undiagnosed."
David Forsythe, one of Alana’s patients has been living with lymphoedema since the mid 90s when he was injured in a road accident. He has an incredibly active lifestyle and regularly practices karate. David says, “The lymphoedema has presented no barrier to my karate. Without the care of Hospice at Home lymphoedema specialists, the karate (and many other things) would have remained an unticked box on my bucket list. With their help, I sometimes forget I have the condition!"
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