Please say hello to our February Feature Therapist, Sam Deakin MPT, CLT-LANA! You can find her at @lymph_physio_sam. Q: What is your practice setting and what population do you treat? A: I work in private practice out of my home clinic and work with clients for cancer rehabilitation and lymphedema management. Q: What tip can you give other lymphedema therapists for treating cancer-related lymphedema? A: Work on your own self-care. Make sure you are doing what you need to for your mental and physical health. Cancer and lymphedema are very emotionally heavy areas of work; we work with our patients for a long time and get to know them well. You end up riding the rollercoaster of emotions that come with these conditions with every patient, and you need to look after yourself so that you don't get stuck on that rollercoaster. Look after you first so you don't burnout. Q: What is one thing you wish everyone knew about cancer-related lymphedema? A: For more cancer patients to know about it in the first place, what it is, how it develops, what the early signs and symptoms are, how to reduce their risk, and how to get back to exercise safely. There's a lot of inconsistency in the level of information given to patients undergoing cancer treatment and I unfortunately end up seeing people after lymphedema has already developed because they weren't educated about it. Q: What are some of the benefits you have seen among patients using pneumatic compression devices? A: It's a great addition to maintenance at home. I encourage people to continue to have follow ups throughout the year with me so that I can re-evaluate their self-management and see if any changes are needed. Thank you, Sam, for your dedication to working with cancer survivors! #lymphedemarehab #lymphedema #lymphedematreatment #lymphedematherapist #physicaltherapist
