Highlights of 2024

At the Primary Care Show in Birmingham, our stand was of great interest to hundreds of GPs and Health Care Professionals. Our team shared our resources and knowledge, including diagnosing some visitors on the day! Lipoedema UK volunteer and GP Nicki Mazey delivered a packed-out lecture on Lipoedema in Primary Care, educating a key audience.

Team member and Practitioner Clare Anvar represented us at (JCN) Journal of Community Nursing Study days around the UK and also at the 47th Congress of European Society of Lymphology in Istanbul, Turkey.

Chair Sharie Fetzer and Dr Lesley Steinitz attended the University of the West of England’s Appearance Matters Conference in Bristol.

Sharie and Nurse Consultant Mary Warrilow presented the award for Chronic Edema Nurse of the Year at the British Journal of Nursing Awards in London.

Sharie and Kate Forster continued to represent the UK at the Lipedema World Alliance Online Board Meetings.

NICE described Lipoedema UK as a trailblazing organisation through our attendance at their Voluntary Sector and Community Forum meetings.

We were thrilled to be offered the opportunity to attend Brazil’s 1st Lipedema Congress in Sao Paulo. Representing Lipoedema UK, Kate Forster connected with founder, Lipoedema patient and surgeon, Dr Paula Frederichi along with the Portuguese Lipoedema Association andLINFA and Lipedema World Alliance. Many surgeons and Lipoedema specialists attended, sharing the latest in clinical approaches and scientific research.

In 2024 we hosted more Zoom webinars than ever before, offering members the opportunity to hear from many incredible experts, discussing the latest scientific research and advice regarding Lipoedema management and fascinating topics such as Gut Microbiomes with Dr James Kinross, Senior Lecturer and Consultant Surgeon at Imperial College London.

Don’t forget members can use their personal login to watch recordings of webinars on the website portal.

Thank you Joella for organising and co-ordinating an amazing programme!

This year we were able to introduce our members to further ground-breaking research projects, from Mental Health and Visible Difference studies, in partnership with Appearance Matters at the University of West of England, to the UK National Pain Survey.

As part of our work with the Lipedema World Alliance, we have been instrumental in creating a worldwide patient manifesto. This initiative is now supported by twenty-one international lipoedema patient groups and organisations, you can read about it in more detail here.

Member and Lipoedema patient Lisa completed an unusual yet brilliant fundraiser this year… a naked swim in a leisure centre, raising more than £1,000 for us! – Thank you so much Lisa for your bravery!

Lipoedema UK member Vanda Lima shared her late diagnosis story with the Mirror.

Dr Lesley Steinitz, Head of Research at Lipoedema UK discussed weight loss injections with The Mail on Sunday.

Thank you for supporting us, we will be closed for the Christmas break from Monday 23rd December to Monday 6th January.

We will be back with our first webinar of the year on Thursday 16th January, with a jam-packed agenda in store!

Sending our best wishes for the Christmas period and we will see you in 2025!

Our membership is open to everyone who wants to learn more about Lipoedema and its treatments.

Read about our Individual Membership and Clinician & Healthcare Professional Membership on our website.

This Christmas break, please consider donating to Lipoedema UK.

Your donation will help us continue to undertake research and to campaign for quicker diagnosis and better care for people affected by Lipoedema. We are grateful for every penny!

Don’t forget that with Gift Aid, you can boost your donation by 25p for every £1 you donate.