This petition is to promote more research on lymphedema. There are about 100 million individuals in the world who are living with lymphedema, along with its physical discomfort. More lymphedema research for effective treatment will also hopefully extend the amount of time dedicated to learning the lymphatic system in a medical curriculum. The more research conducted, the faster we will find a cure for primary and secondary lymphedema.
Lymphedema is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid that leads to swelling. Swelling is caused by the collection of protein-rich fluid in the tissues of the affected area. Most often, swelling occurs in the arms or legs. There are two types of lymphedema: primary and secondary. The former type of lymphedema is an inherited condition that is caused by impaired lymph vessels. Secondary lymphedema, however, is far more common and is caused by surgery, chemo radiation, infection, or cancer.
Because lymphedema is said to be a non-lethal condition, there is unfortunately low funding for lymphedema research and thus a major setback on generating effective treatments for this condition. Current ways of reducing the swelling are with compression pumps, elastic garments, and day-to-day routine of elevation and manual lymph drainage. Currently, there are some, and yet not enough, lymphedema research projects that seek to go as far as cure lymphedema.
Please help us start now in promoting lymphedema research for effective treatments.
For additional information on lymphedema, please visit: http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/COE/heart/DiseasesConditions/lymphaticvenous/patients/
