Let's Talk Lymphoedema: The Essential Guide to Everything You Need to Know

Lymphoedema results from a failure of the lymphatic system, causing swelling and fluid retention; it can also cause aching, heaviness and difficulty moving. Research shows that around 140 million people worldwide may be living with lymphoedema, and it affects approximately one in five women after breast cancer treatment. There is no cure for the disease, but there are ways to control the symptoms.

 

Let's Talk Lymphoedema has been written to help sufferers deal with its debilitating effects, providing information and inspiration to help them lead rich, vibrant lives. It features contributions from international experts and personalities such as Miriam Stoppard, and the actress Kathy Bates, who herself suffers from the condition.

 

Including essential medical information (immune system and infection; microsurgery; obesity; podiatry); treatment advice (compression garments; physiotherapy; exercises); and day-to-day support (psychology, sexuality and others' perceptions), this is an essential read for sufferers, friends, family and medical professionals alike.

Professor Peter Mortimer is a consultant dermatologist working at both St George's Hospital and the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. He is also Professor of Dermatological Medicine to St George's University of London. He has spent most of his professional life in the research and clinical practice of lymphoedema and related disorders of the lymphatic system. He is a founder of both the Lymphoedema Support Network and the British Lymphology Society, and is internationally recognized for his work in lymphoedema. He is the author of Lymphoedema: Advice on Self-management and Treatment (2004). Gemma Levine is a photographer who has shown over 60 exhibitions around the world, including a celebration of 25 years of her work at the National Portrait Gallery in 2001. She has published 21 books, including Go With the Flow (2012), an inspirational guide and practical resource to living with cancer following her own diagnosis with breast cancer. As a result of her cancer, she has lived with lymphoedema for a number of years.