Lipoedema UK’s Professional Affiliations
Lipoedema UK is proud to be affiliated to other non-profit organisations committed to raising awareness about Lipoedema and other closely associated conditions including lymphoedema.
Lipoedema UK is delighted to be part of Lipedema World Alliance (LWA), a non-profit global initiative founded to help improve the care of people with Lipoedema. Established in 2022, LWA was founded by a group of dedicated healthcare professionals, researchers and passionate representatives from patient associations across the world, including Lipoedema UK. The aim of our global collaboration is to create an environment in which healthcare professionals from different countries work collaboratively alongside patients’ associations to explore the many unanswered questions around Lipoedema. The LWA promotes scientific dialogue and increased awareness and understanding of Lipoedema, in order to improve care for people living with Lipoedema. To find out more, visit the website.
At least 400,000 men, women and children in the UK live with lymphoedema/chronic oedema. Whether people are newly diagnosed, living with or caring for someone with the condition, or are a healthcare professional interested in lymphoedema, the Lymphoedema Support Network (LSN) supports people by providing appropriate information to help patients help themselves manage and control their condition. For more information, visit the website.
The British Lymphology Society (BLS) is a registered charity dedicated to preserving and protecting the good health of people living with lymphoedema, a chronic condition caused by a failing lymphatic system. Chronic oedema is an indication of failed lymphatic drainage. People with the later stages of Lipoedema often also develop oedema, because in Lipoedema, the blood capillaries surrounding fat cells are hyperpermeable, which eventually causes oedema to develop between the fat cells. (For more information on how this occurs, click here.) To find out more about the fantastic work done by the BLS, visit the website.
The Legs Matter Coalition is a coalition of eight healthcare charities and non-profit organisations, including the BLS and The Royal College of Podiatry. The goal is to raise awareness, understanding and action of lower leg and foot conditions, notably skin and wound challenges, among the public and healthcare professionals. As Lipoedema always affects the lower limbs, the Legs Matter Coalition is an obvious ally in the campaign to improve care for patients. To find out more, visit the website.
Lipoedema UK is a partner organisation of the International Lymphoedema Framework (ILF), which was founded to improve the management of lymphoedema worldwide. The ILF works towards creating a better everyday life for people round the world who live with lymphoedema and related disorders. For further details, visit the website.