To all of us living with lymphedema, to the family and friends who support us, to the healthcare providers who care for us, and to the people who fight for our voices to be heard…
Happy World Lymphedema Day!
Although Lymphedema Day has been celebrated in various communities since 1994, today is significant as it is the first time it is being officially recognized and honored by governing bodies. This is a huge victory for the community as it makes lymphedema more visible and brings to light our need for research and developments in treatment.
Take a look at all that’s been accomplished recently:
- World Lymphedema Day passed in the US Senate in a unanimous vote.
- The New York State legislature became the first governing body in the world to officially recognize March 6th as World Lymphedema Day.
- Ottawa, Canada, has become the first municipality to proclaim March 6th World Lymphedema Day.
- World Lymphedema Day will be honored in New Dehli, India, at the AIIMS International Surgical Conference; the LE&RN India Chapter will present a lymphedema session on March 6th.
- Over 700 people have changed their profile pictures on Facebook and Twitter with the World Lymphedema Day badge to raise awareness.
- Over 4,600 people have signed and supported the World Lymphedema Day petition.
It’s really amazing to see it all listed out like that, isn’t it? There’s been a lot happening, and much of this is because of our community getting involved and raising our voices together. There is a tangible growing movement towards an increase in lymphedema awareness, but we still need to keep fighting in order to achieve more research, accessibility to treatment, and better insurance coverage for the millions of people living with lymphedema across the world.
We aren’t invisible anymore; we aren’t silent. People are hearing us—governments are hearing us!—so let’s keep this incredible momentum going.
Support World Lymphedema Day
There are a number of ways you can help support World Lymphedema Day and show your solidarity! In addition to signing and sharing the petition, you can add a banner to your social media profile photos, or post your support on Twitter. These seemingly small gestures can inspire meaningful conversation about lymphedema and the need for awareness!
You can also support lymphatic research by donating to one of the research organizations, such as the Lymphatic Education & Research Network or the National Lymphedema Network, or by getting involved in the upcoming Lymphedema Lobby Days in D.C. this April.
Check out last year’s post for even more ideas on how to promote lymphedema awareness!
Leave a Reply