World Lymphedema Day

World Lymphedema Day is an annual celebratory event to educate the world about lymphatic diseases. On March 6th, the annual World Lymphedema Awareness Day gives us the opportunity to raise awareness and make lymphedema a global priority. Several countries will launch campaigns to educate patients, their families and friends, and healthcare professionals.

The 5-year survival rate for lymphangiosarcoma is less than 10%, with the average survival following diagnosis being 19 months. The recommended treatment for lymphoedema is decongestive lymphatic therapy (DLT). DLT is not a cure for lymphoedema, but it can help control the symptoms. Although it takes time and effort, the treatment can be used to bring lymphoedema under control.

The first Lymphedema Awareness Day took place in October 1994 and was founded by the National Lymphedema Network in the United States. Lymphedema patients who made significant contributions to their communities were honored on this special day. Since then, Lymphedema Awareness Day has become a global campaign to underscore the importance of early intervention, regular monitoring, physical activity, and compression therapy as the cornerstones of better outcomes. The British Lymphology Society even dedicates the whole week to this topic, and the Australasian Lymphology Association initiated a Lymphedema Awareness Month.