Every day is an opportunity for lymphedema advocacy and awareness, but there’s one day that is especially our own: March 6th, also known as World Lymphedema Day.
From in-person events to virtual webinars, there are plenty of things happening the world over to promote lymphedema awareness. Bookmark this post for easy reference throughout the month of March so you won’t miss out on any of the lymphatic goings-on!
March 6: World Lymphedema Day
Alberta Lymphedema Association’s 20th Anniversary Celebration
Location: In Person
Registration Required: Yes
Price: Free
For those in Alberta, Canada, join the Alberta Lymphedema Association as they celebrate World Lymphedema Day along with the organization’s 20th anniversary.
“We’ve accomplished a lot over the years,” writes the ALA on their website. “We would love for you to come celebrate with us and enjoy some cake, tea, and coffee on us!”
The event is being held on March 6, 2023, from 6:00 – 9:00 PM, at the Holiday Inn on McKinnon Drive, NE Calgary. They invite those interested to please RSVP via email.
Australasian Lymphology Association Lymphoedema Awareness Day Webinar
Location: Virtual
Registration Required: Yes
Price: Free for ALA Members
Members of the Australasian Lymphology Association are invited to a free webinar, “Caring for the carer: Why self-care is an important part of being a health professional,” presented by Professor Kerry Sherman.
The live event will be held online on March 6, 2023, at 7:00 PM AEDT.
Register to attend the webinar here; non-members will be able to purchase a recording of the webinar after the live event.
Lymphedema Association of Manitoba’s 3rd Annual Light Up the Legislative Building
Location: In Person
Registration Required: No
Price: Free
Live in Manitoba, Canada? Join the Lymphedema Association of Manitoba for a recreational walk to the Manitoba Legislative Building in an effort to raise awareness of lymphedema while also getting their lymph moving.
The group will meet at Johnston Terminal at the Forks at 6:30 PM and walk 1.5 km to the Manitoba Legislative Building before walking the 1.5 km back.
Visit the event page for more information.
Free Access to LE&RN’s Virtual Lymphatic Summit 2022
Location: Virtual
Registration Required: Yes
Price: Free
On March 6th, free access will be given to every presentation from the 2022 Virtual Lymphatic Summit: The Clinician/Patient Interface in State-of-the-Art Diagnosis and Management. Hosted by the Lymphatic Education and Research Network and Stanford University School of Medicine, this event highlighted state-of-the-art clinical management techniques as well as the patient experience living with lymphatic disease and its management.
This is a massive learning opportunity, as the 2022 Summit included presentations by cutting-edge thought leaders Drs. Stanley Rockson, Dhruv Singhal, Peter Mortimer, Catherine Seo, Sheila Ridner, Max Itkin, and more.
Register to receive the email on March 6th.
Lymphoedema Association of South Africa’s Q&A Series
Location: Virtual
Registration Required: Yes
Price: Free
The Lymphoedema Association of South Africa is kicking off their new quarterly Q&A Series, with their first session on March 6 at 6:30 PM.
The topic is “The Ups and Downs of Lymphoedema” and will feature allied healthcare professionals from across South Africa with experience in treating lymphoedema.
“The session is free and accessible to anyone who has been directly or indirectly affect by lymphoedema,” the LAOSA write. “We are very excited to welcome you all and meet you, albeit virtually.”
Register for the virtual event here.
Successful Self-Management of Lymphedema with Compression Therapy, Presented by Essity
Location: Virtual
Registration Required: Yes
Price: Free
Essity/Jobst is hosting a free webinar on March 6 at 3:00 PM EST on the topic of compression therapy, specifically to help patients understand the importance of fit and the wear and care of compression garments.
Register for the webinar here.
Lymphedema Association of Ontario’s “Be Well Talk: Understanding Lymphedema”
Location: Virtual
Registration Required: Yes
Price: Free
In recognition of World Lymphedema Day, the Lymphedema Association of Ontario is hosting a two-part series in collaboration with Wellspring Cancer Support.
Part one, “An Introduction to Lymphedema,” is on March 6 at 11:00 AM EST; part two, “Nutrition for Lymphedema,” is March 13 at 11:00 AM EST. Both of the hour-long webinars are designed for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to better understand the lymphatic system, lymphedema, and its treatment.
Register for the webinars here.
Research Roundtable, Hosted by Lympha Press
Location: Virtual
Registration Required: Yes
Price: Free
Join Lympha Press Chief Medical Officer Dr. Karen Herbst and special guests Karen Ashforth, MS, OTR, CLT-LANA, Louisa Boyd, OTR/L, CLT- LANA, and Lesli Bell, PT, DPT, CLT-LANA, on March 6 at 7:00 PM EST to discuss the latest research on lymphedema, lipedema, CVI, and wounds.
This monthly Roundtable is intended for participation by medical professionals; no medical advice will be dispensed, and the content is for educational purposes only.
Register for the Roundtable here.
Giornata Mondiale del Linfedema
Location: Virtual
Registration Required: No
Price: Free
The Italian lymphedema association SoS Linfedema is hosting a virtual event coordinated by Professor Paolo Zamboni, President of the Scientific Committee at the Università di Ferrara, featuring speakers from across Italy in the field of lymphology.
Watch the livestream on YouTube.
March 6 – 10: Lymphedema Awareness Week
Alberta Lymphedema Association’s “Lights of Awareness”
Location: In Person
Registration Required: No
Price: Free
During Lymphedema Awareness Week, various monuments across Alberta, Canada, will be lit up in teal for lymphedema awareness:
- March 5th: Calgary Telus Spark Centre
- March 6th: Lethbridge City Hall
- March 6th: Red Deer City Hall
- March 6th: Grande Prairie Sundial at Centre 2000
- March 7th: Calgary Tower
The Alberta Lymphedema Association invites people to take photos of the landmarks and send them to lymphnet@telus.net to be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card.
The British Lymphology Society’s Lymphoedema Awareness Week Webinars
Location: Virtual
Registration Required: Yes
Price: Free
Throughout Lymphoedema Awareness Week, the British Lymphology Society is hosting a series of free educational webinars, both live and recorded, for patients and healthcare professionals alike.
Topics of the hour-long webinars include cellulitis, compression garments, lipedema, and supporting patients in self-management.
View the full list of events and register here.
Additional Resources
A number of organizations offer robust resources for Lymphedema Awareness Day / Week / Month and beyond — check them out below:
- Australasian Lymphology Association: Lymphoedema Awareness Week
- British Lymphology Society: Lymphoedema Awareness Week
- Canadian Lymphedema Framework: WLD and Lymphedema Awareness
- Lympha Press: Ways to Celebrate Lymphedema Awareness Month
- Lymphedema Association of Manitoba: Advocacy
- Lymphedema Association of Newfoundland & Labrador: March Awareness
- Lymphatic Education and Research Network: Get Involved
Search lymphedema-related hashtags on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for even more opportunities for awareness and engagement by patients and advocates alike!
Did I miss an event?
Please let me know if there is an event or webinar I may have missed or a detail that needs correction, and I’ll update the listing. Thanks!
How will you be spreading awareness and elevating lymphedema throughout the month of March?
Photos by Mikhail Nilov and RODNAE Productions from Pexels.
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