Message from the President on the 10th Anniversary of the Turkish (Anatolian) Lymphedema Association:
Dear Members and Supporters,
We are filled with pride and happiness as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Turkish (Anatolian) Lymphedema Association. This significant milestone is the result of our dedicated and committed efforts to enhance the quality of life for lymphedema and lipedema patients.
Over the past ten years, we have undertaken numerous projects to raise awareness about lymphedema, support our patients, and inform healthcare professionals. Through educational seminars, public service announcements, informative publications, and support groups, we have made great strides in understanding and managing lymphedema and lipedema. As board members, we have participated in media and social media programs to promote and guide on these conditions. We have organized national and international congresses and symposiums with patient education meetings annually for both patients and healthcare professionals. We also participated in various congresses related to lymphedema to improve awareness, early diagnosis, and treatments. As the Turkish Lymphedema Association, we continue to represent our country in international lymphedema associations. We have received awards for our scientific studies at international congresses. This year, we successfully hosted the 47th European Lymphology Association Congress in Istanbul with nearly 700 participants.
Every year, we celebrated World Lymphedema Awareness Day on March 6th and Lipedema Awareness Month in June with enthusiastic patient education meetings. Throughout this decade, we conducted numerous research and studies to better understand and address the challenges faced by lymphedema patients. By collaborating with the Ministry of Health and universities, we contributed to the development of lymphedema diagnosis and treatment methods. Our discussions and submitted reports have also slightly increased the reimbursement rates for compression garments that patients use for life. Additionally, we implemented various social responsibility projects to promote the active participation of lymphedema patients in social life. We provided treatment materials and compression garments to financially disadvantaged patients and continue to support them. Last week, we held a general assembly that approved adding ‘Lipedema’ to our association’s name, thus including lipedema patients within our scope. This September, we eagerly anticipate organizing a ‘Lymphedema Weekend Camp’ for pediatric lymphedema patients with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
On the occasion of our tenth anniversary, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to our association’s success, especially our current and former board members, supporting companies, and donors. The contributions of our board members, volunteers, healthcare professionals, and supporters have played a significant role in bringing our association to where it stands today.
Our future goals include developing more innovative solutions for the treatment and management of lymphedema and lipedema, increasing awareness efforts, and expanding the guidance and support services we provide to our patients. We will continue to work together to achieve these goals.
As the Turkish Lymphedema Association, we will persist in being by the side of lymphedema and lipedema patients, enhancing their quality of life, and raising awareness about lymphedema in society. With the hope of achieving many more successes together.
Warm regards
Prof. Dr. Pınar Borman
President of the Turkish Lymphedema Association