KLF funds bursaries at The Royal Marsden School to train NHS practitioners in the management and treatment of lymphoedema, thus increasing the availability of therapists which is still limited.

Katie's 
Lymphoedema 
Fund

Katie’s Lymphoedema Fund was set up to support             The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity in memory of             Katie Wohlrab Oliver (1966 – 2001).

The Fund will provide sponsored places on training programmes run at The Royal Marsden School in London, Lymphscanners and Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Pumps (IPCPs)

We continue to support a variety of practitioners and since our inception in 2004, the breakdown of roles we have funded has been as follows:

  • Breast Cancer nurses
  • Staff nurses
  • Physiotherapists
  • Lymphoedema nurses/therapists
  • Complementary therapists
  • Occupational therapists

Click here to see our latest newsletters 

Click here to see our latest fund report

Interview on Vatican Radio - Link to the Audio Here

Interview on the Daily Mails 'Health notes' with Pat

Mailing List and Contact

To contact us or to join our mailing list, please email us at:  info@katieslymphoedemafund.co.uk.

 

Congratulations Mary!

Mary Woods was awarded an MBE in the King's New Year's Honours list in January 2024, for her outstanding services to lymphoedema. 

Mary was a Consultant Nurse Lymphoedema at the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Mary's Investiture by Prince Willaim took place on Wednesday 22nd May at Windsor Castle.  She said afterwards that Prince William was treated to a bit of 'verbal diarrhoea' when he asked me about lymphoedema but he seemed quite interested and was lovely! 

 

Annual Lunch at 
Fortnum & Mason

 We held our annual lunch on Monday 4th March.

Dr Kristiana Gordon (Consultant in Dermatology & Lymphovascular Medicine).attended the lunch and gave a brief presentation on Genetics and Lymphoedema.

The lunch raised £14,000 which has enabled us to commit to purchase a second Intermittent Pnuematic Compression Pump for The Sutton Royal Marsden and award 5 bursaries for training.  We will also be contributing to the funding for two Lymphoedema Assistant Practitioners

Katie's brother Marcus with Freya Demmery (Senior Philanthropy Executive:Special Events RMCC )



A Thank You Note

Last June, Katie’s Lymphoedema Fund very generously provided funding to enable us to host a scar management course at the Marsden, which was run by Restore Therapy.  We had been keen to learn scar management techniques, as relatively frequently, we find that scar tissue can impact on the possible effectiveness of our MLD treatment, particularly with our breast and head & neck patients.  From the off the course was very hands on and we had the opportunity to practise our new skills on patients who came in during the course for treatment.  It was a great course.

Anyway, eight months on, what we learnt on this course has become an integral part of our lymphoedema assessments.  The patient who I saw this week had significant post mastectomy scarring, which was complicating her lymphoedema management, as was the sensitivity she experienced around her scar.  Using the scar management techniques learnt on the course, I was able to focus on treating the scar, plus demonstrate to her what she can do herself, which in turn made a difference to the discomfort she was experiencing.  She has further sessions planned and hopefully we can build on the progress made so far.  I certainly came away feeling that having added options in the ‘tool box’ really had made a difference.

So, thank you for the ongoing support.

Best wishes

Rachel

Highly Specialist Lymphoedema Practitioner

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

 

 

Comfiware

Look under the heading on Medical links to find out more about this patented breathable compression garment designed to compliment the treatment a patient receives during waking or sleeping hours.

 

 

LymphFlow Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Pump

To date with fund-raising we have been able to purchase several of these pieces of equipment , which have been placed in NHS hospitals. 

Here is a patient's feedback:

"I did a measurement before and after, first and last session. I think it has gone down about a quarter f an inch or just under 1cms on my right leg.  I am stocking-free around my left ankle now.  I started to feel tired towards the end of the treatment, the same as with the manual drainage, which is good.  I would love to have another go in future, when possible.  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to try the pump.  I think it's well worth it."

Cheque Presentation

On October 3rd 2023 we made a cheque presentation of £30,00 at The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

After the presentation Pat, Jenny and Jackie had the opportunity to visit a Lymphoedema Clinic room and meet two of the nurses, Lucy Dean, Lymphoedema & Rehabilitation Service Lead and Preska Vivekanandan, Lymphoedema Therapist. 

Preska has taken part in three different KLF courses and will become a fully qualified lymphoedema nurse in due course.

Pat tried on one of the sleeves attached to one of the KLF funded pumps to feel how they work.

Katie's Lymphedema Fund is a proud member of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity's William Marsden Circle.

The launch of KLF's membership was on October 1st 2019 at The Royal Marsden.  The William Marsden Circle is presided over by Dr Nicholas van As, Medical Director at The Royal Marsden and recognises exceptional philanthropic support.

Support life-saving researchincluding funding clinical trials that give patients at the hospital, across the UK and around the world access to the latest breakthrough drugs.

Offer patients world-leading treatment and care - delivering tailored and personalised treatment, which cares for the whole person, not just their illness. 

Invest in state-of-the-art equipment - from the latest in robotic surgery, to improved cancer imaging to ensure more effective and efficient diagnosis and treatment. 

Fund modern patient environments - allowing the hospital to build new facilities and refurbish existing ones, so that so patients are cared for in the most welcoming, dignified and peaceful environments.

Registered Charity No. 4615761

Courses

Do you work within the NHS and are looking to add lymphoedema management to your skills? If so, click below to see the courses held at The Royal Marsden School that you might be able to attend, sponsored by Katie’s Lymphoedema Fund.

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