The three-year Early Intervention and Prevention of Chronic Lymphoedema program will be offered through hospital-based Lymphoedema clinics across south west Sydney, including a new clinic at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital.
Lymphoedema is a condition which usually affects people who have had surgery to remove lymph nodes as part of the management of cancer, in particular breast cancer.
The District’s Chief Executive Amanda Larkin says staff will screen and assess 430 people each year who have undergone breast cancer surgery to check for the early stages of lymphoedema.
She says the pilot will build on the success of those well-established clinics, which have been treating people in the community with a known risk of lymphoedema for 18 years.
“We have been running a similar model of care at Campbelltown Hospital for eight years and in that time, we have seen how effective early intervention for lymphoedema can be.’’
An additional four Allied Health staff across the District have undergone training in lymphoedema therapy as part of the pilot.
Three additional SOZO Body Composition Analyser Machines have also been provided for the District to support the detection and treatment of the early stages of lymphoedema.
NSW Chief Alllied Health Officer Andrew Davison said: “Lymphoedema is a lifelong, chronic condition that can be debilitating and affects many breast cancer survivors.’’
