Lymphoedema Association Australia to light up Albany for Lymphoedema Awareness Week

Albany Town Square and the Norfolk Pine in the Alison Hartman Garden will be lit up in blue from March 20-23 for Lymphoedema Awareness Week.

The Lymphoedema Association Australia will be lighting up landmarks countrywide from March 6 to raise awareness of the condition, which is caused by a malfunction in the lymphatic system.

It typically occurs after cancer treatment, when lymph nodes are removed or damaged, and results in swelling, usually of an arm or leg.

Other symptoms include feeling achy or stiff, a reduced range of movement, and recurrent skin infections.

Treatments include compression garments, exercise, skincare and massage.

Lymphoedema affects the physical, emotional, social and financial wellbeing of sufferers.

Albany’s Heather Dixon developed lymphoedema in her right arm after treatment for breast cancer 2½ years ago.

Ms Dixon said she had been “really fortunate” with a “really supportive and understanding” lymphoedema team at Albany Health Campus.

“I know that some people are born with lymphoedema, so very unfortunate for those people because it’s a lifetime management,” she said.

“Some people have it really quite severe, and their lymphoedema is really quite debilitating.

“I was given really good awareness from the get-go that management was just paramount.

“It’s not just something you have for a moment in time, it’s an ongoing management.”

Ms Dixon said that medical support was important and stressed that there was a cost involved in management that some people couldn’t afford.

“The hospital will measure you up for a garment, but at this point in time, you still need to pay for your garment, and that could be hundreds of dollars,” she said.