Meg Schofield, a patient at Mercy Health Lymphoedema Clinic, was diagnosed with primary lymphoedema in 2004 after she developed swelling and aching in her right leg.

An incurable condition affecting over 300,000 Australians, lymphoedema sufferers experience swelling in an area of the body where the lymphatic system is unable to adequately drain fluid.

Prior to attending the Clinic, Meg had difficulty getting the right diagnosis.

“They thought it was cancer at first, and I remember thinking that they could treat it and make it go away. When I was finally diagnosed with lymphoedema I was devastated to find out it was chronic and something I would have to manage for the rest of my life”, she said.

Meg wearing a compression garment

 
Like many lymphoedema sufferers, Meg has to wear a compression garment on her leg to manage the swelling. For a young 25-year-old, having to cope with the physical and visual nature of the condition has really tested her self image and confidence. Meg has managed to cope with her condition through the support of Mercy Health Lymphoedema Clinic.

As a dedicated outpatient support service, the clinic provides over 6,000 consultations every year at no cost to clients. Each client is assessed by a multidisciplinary team with services ranging from education sessions, individual treatment programs, counselling, exercise groups and prescription of compression garments.

Donations in support of Mercy Health Lymphoedema Clinic are used to fund the clinic and to assist in the purchase of equipment used to treat clients suffering from this debilitating condition.

If you would like to make a donation or require more information, please visit our Mercy Health Lymphoedema Clinics.