BRISBANE, Australia & CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ImpediMed Limited (ASX: IPD), a global provider of medical technology to non-invasively measure, monitor and manage tissue composition and fluid status using bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS), recognizes Lymphedema Awareness Month. ImpediMed will participate in advocate-driven activities throughout March that are designed to educate the world about the global impact of lymphedema and the critical importance of making cures for lymphedema and lymphatic diseases a priority worldwide. Activities include: Promoting awareness of World Lymphedema Day, March 6, supporting regional lymphedema screenings, and co-sponsoring with medi an invite-only reception on March 28, with a presentation by Kathy Bates, two-time cancer survivor living with lymphedema, and spokesperson for the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN).
Lymphedema occurs when a clear lymphatic fluid builds up in the soft tissues of the body, usually in a limb, causing a painful and debilitating tightness and swelling of one or both arms or legs. Up to 10 million Americans, and hundreds of millions worldwide, suffer from lymphedema and lymphatic diseases. More people suffer from these diseases in the United States than from multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, ALS, Parkinson's disease, and AIDS -- combined.
“World Lymphedema Day is an annual event that truly resonates globally, bringing much needed awareness to a condition that has -- for far too long -- gone largely unnoticed,” says Richard Carreon, managing director and CEO, ImpediMed. “We are working alongside our industry colleagues and LE&RN supporters to shine a light on this devastating condition related to the effects of cancer treatments. Lymphedema causes pain and financial distress, and burdens healthcare systems throughout the world.”
Carreon explains that for all cancer survivors, particularly many women who have undergone a mastectomy and/or radiation treatment in the fight against breast cancer, lymphedema can be quite devastating.
Carreon continues, “Unfortunately, the majority of cases are not diagnosed until they are already visually apparent – delaying proactive treatment before the condition worsens.”
ImpediMed employees are bringing awareness locally by participating in a walk near its headquarters in Carlsbad, California, where they will carry its World Lymphedema Day banner. They are also raising awareness internally by taking “The Compression Sleeve Challenge” – with a donation of compression sleeves from medi, participating employees are being challenged to wear compression sleeves for at least 24 hours.
Regional activities include:
- March 6 – WakeMed Health System in North Carolina and Baptist Health Paducah in Kentucky will hold lymphedema screening events and feature SOZO® to help measure, monitor, and manage lymphedema in people who have had cancer surgery or another surgery that impacts the lymphatic system.
- March 29 – Washington, D.C.: a day of lobbying in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, visiting with Congressional office staff from each state represented by attendees. Registration is open until Monday, March 11. Pre-registration for each attendee is required. https://learn.regfox.com/2019dc-lobbyday
- March 30 – 2nd Annual DC Walk & Rally for Lymphedema and Lymphatic Diseases. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/events/204253940502486/ and https://lymphaticnetwork.org/lymph-walk.
Check out the LE&RN World Lymphedema Day video, where ImpediMed’s team in Greece shows its support: https://lymphaticnetwork.org/wld/
About ImpediMed
Founded and headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, with U.S. and European operations, ImpediMed is the world leader in the design and manufacture of medical devices employing bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) technologies for use in the non-invasive clinical assessment and monitoring of tissue composition and fluid status. ImpediMed produces a family of FDA cleared and CE Marked medical devices, including SOZO® for multiple indications, including heart failure and lymphedema, sold in select markets globally. Visit www.impedimed.com.
