St. Joseph’s Foundation to use Komen grant to support lymphedema education

SYRACUSE — The Central New York affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Curehas awarded a grant of more than $31,000 to St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Foundation to support lymphedema education and prevention.

The hospital announced the grant on April 11.

The Komen grant will support the Lymphedema Education and Prevention from Stage 0 (LEAP from Stage 0) program at St. Joseph’s outpatient physical therapy.

Lymphedema, or blockage of the lymphatic system, is a “harmful” side effect of breast cancer treatment that can lead to permanent disability if not treated, the hospital said in a news release. 

Even though the medical community isn’t aware of any known cure for the condition, the combination of prevention, early intervention, and management allows most individuals to return to a normal active life, St. Joseph’s added.

Now in its ninth year of benefiting from Komen funding, the LEAP from Stage 0 program increases community awareness of lymphedema, and provides education and treatment for lymphedema occurring due to breast-cancer treatment.

In addition, the program educates medical providers treating lymphedema patients, offering tools to make treatment accessible to their patients. 

LEAP from Stage 0 also provides treatment for breast-cancer patients, including one-on-one pre-surgical classes and baseline measures; bandages and customized garments not normally covered by insurance providers; self-management techniques; rehabilitative exercise; and educational materials and classes.

St. Joseph’s is raising community awareness of lymphedema, hoping to increase the likelihood that breast-cancer patients will seek lymphedema consultation and care before symptoms arise, the hospital said.

Patients use a doctor’s referral for admission to the program, which teaches self-management techniques that enable patients to resume their previous, pre-surgery levels of activity.

The program supports the St. Joseph’s efforts to improve the quality of life for breast-cancer survivors through early intervention, education, and treatment, Megan Hickey, project director for LEAP and director of physical medicine and rehabilitation at St. Joseph’s, said in a news release.

“So many of these people are among the uninsured and underinsured and this funding helps provide them with medical care and custom garments that they might not otherwise be able to afford,” Hickey added.

The Komen organization dates back to 1982 when Nancy Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do “everything in her power” to end breast cancer forever.

The organization, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, is the result of that promise.

The Central New York affiliate is part of the “world’s largest and most progressive grassroots network fighting breast cancer,” the news release said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com