Reading charity celebrates thousands of people helped this Lymphoedema Awareness Week
A physiotherapist and nurse-led lymphoedema service has been running at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading for three decades
The Lymphoedema Team at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading
Submitted by Sue Ryder
Staff at a hospice in Reading, Berkshire, are marking Lymphoedema Awareness Week (March 6 to 11) by raising awareness of the condition and celebrating the care they have given to thousands of Berkshire residents over the past 30 years through their specialist service.
Lymphoedema is a chronic condition, which causes swelling in the body’s tissues as a result of the lymphatic system not working properly. It can develop anywhere in the body, but is more common in the arms and legs, and is thought to affect approximately 450,000 people in the UK.
A physiotherapist and nurse-led lymphoedema service has been running at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading for three decades, providing specialist care and support to people with secondary lymphoedema, as a result of cancer or cancer treatments. The service supports approximately 500 patients every year.
Specialist lymphoedema nurse Jan Bell lives in South Oxfordshire and has worked in the service at the hospice for over 15 years. She said: “The past two years have been so difficult for so many people.
“At the start of the pandemic we were forced to close our clinics very quickly and changed the way we worked by personalising resources, making videos, and contacting patients over the phone or by video call to help them feel supported to manage their condition.
“We have seen some increasing symptoms of lymphoedema as people have not been moving around as much, and this lack of movement can make the condition worse. Many people have also experienced social isolation which, for some, has reduced their motivation for carrying out their daily self-treatment at home.
“We are pleased that we can now see more patients face-to-face and continue to offer our tailored support and treatment which can include compression, lymphatic drainage, skincare, and exercise, with the emphasis being on self-care and support.”
The team also works closely with the Berkshire Lymphoedema Support Group, which organises monthly meetings with speakers, discussions, and the chance to meet others facing similar issues. The group has been meeting virtually during the pandemic, but hopes to restart face-to-face sessions in June.
Fiona Harland is the lead Lymphoedema specialist physiotherapist for the service. She said: “Lymphoedema can be very challenging to live with. But, with early intervention and access to the right support, treatment, and guidance from a specialist, symptoms can usually be improved, with people feeling less discomfort and more able to get on with their lives.
“We aim to support people to become experts in managing their condition and it’s very rewarding to see patients becoming more confident and knowledgeable, whilst knowing they can access our service for support and advice when they need it.”
The team hopes by sharing this story they can raise awareness of the support available to people in Berkshire living with the condition so that more people will speak to their GP, consultant, or lead healthcare professional to make a referral to their specialist service.
Fiona added: “We don’t want people to think they can’t receive support from our clinic because they do not need palliative care or the support of the hospice. Yes, we are physically based at the hospice, but we are able to see all those with lymphoedema who are living with the long-term side effects of cancer and its treatments.
“The whole hospice movement has changed so dramatically in recent years. Hospices are not places where people come to for the last days of their life. We provide specialist care to help people get their symptoms under control so they can live their life well.
“Our service is all about increasing people’s quality of life and our goal is for each patient to remain independent, while safely managing their lymphoedema.”
The lymphoedema service at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice is open to anyone who has lymphoedema related to cancer or its treatments and who has a GP in Berkshire West. To be referred, speak to your GP, specialist nurse, or lead healthcare professional.
Alternatively, for more information, email enquiries.berkshirewest@sueryder.org or call 0118 955 0400. Find out more information about Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice here.
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