Dr. Stefanos Boukovalas is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon practicing in Knoxville, Tennessee. He has completed a microvascular fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and his areas of expertise include therapeutic and preventative lymphedema surgery. Dr. Boukovalas was involved in the care of multiple patients with lymphedema throughout his training and based on this experience, became passionate about caring for those struggling with this debilitating disease. He is an Assistant Professor at The University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine and is excited to be leading the Comprehensive Lymphedema Center in Knoxville. In addition to his clinical practice, he is also conducting extensive research focusing on the quality of life of lymphedema patients and the financial burden placed on them by battling this illness. His goal for the Tennessee Chapter is to create a place for healthcare providers and patients to connect and collaborate. Educating the public, improving access to care, and advocating for lymphedema research and treatment, will hopefully further promote LE&RN’s vision for a world without lymphatic disease. 

Hanna Crawford is a family nurse practitioner with the University Surgical Oncology group at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, TN.  She works primarily with the breast surgical oncologists.  During her time with the breast surgical oncologists, she has developed an interest in lymphedema and specifically helping the patient population served in this office.  Due to this interest, she has obtained specialized training and knowledge in the diagnosis and management of lymphedema.  In addition, she is inspired to provide complete patient education after walking through the breast cancer journey with her own mother.

Dr. Jesse Smith is a specially trained microsurgeon who performs the full spectrum of surgical procedures designed to treat lymphedema. He has learned firsthand from his patients how severely lymphedema impacts one’s quality of life and strives to make advances in the field of lymphatic surgery through his surgical practice and research endeavors. He enjoys lymphatic surgery because of its technical challenges and, more importantly, because of the potential benefits it provides for patients suffering from lymphedema. His vision for the Tennessee Chapter of LE&RN is to help ensure that patients with lymphedema in the state of Tennessee have access to the information and treatment options available.

Dr. Jillian Lloyd has been in clinical practice as a breast surgical oncologist for about 7 years and has been struck by the need to balance managing breast cancer treatment with quality of life.  Historically, breast cancer has been treated with a radical approach, pushing cure rates without much regard to the patient's long-term quality of life when that cure is achieved.  However, more recently, there are many of us who recognize the physical, mental, and emotional toll that these treatments have in our patients, particularly when we discuss lymphedema.  Her desire as part of this group is to maintain cure rates with a careful eye on reducing complications and driving quality of life for our long-term survivors.

There is that saying that when you are meant for something, you know it when you find it. I have been a physical therapist for nearly 29 years. In 2000, I accepted an invitation to fill an empty seat at a complete decongestive therapy course (for free) hosted by my hospital. I had no knowledge, experience, or interest in this specialty beyond the intrigue of something I had never heard of before. By the end of the course, I knew I had found it…my place in the world where the need and what I had to offer perfectly fit. And so began my journey. I started my first program in 2003. In 2007, I started my second program, learning from the lessons of the first. That program has grown into a multi-disciplinary clinic providing treatment for all chronic edema, wound care, oncology rehabilitation, and pelvic floor therapy. Patients with lymphedema have many facets of complexity related to their condition. They require a medical community that understands their needs, a reasonable way to access those services, and a social network to encourage them along the way.  Once they have that, they can engage in life and press on in ways that enable them not just to survive but to thrive. Creating a place like that for our patients has brought me a lot of joy, but it is not enough. I have treated the problem, so I truly know the need. If you live with lymphedema, support someone who does, or treat the condition, you are an inspiration to me. Your perseverance energizes me to keep growing, inventing, changing, and learning ways to make things better. At this point in my life, I am excited to see the momentum we are finally gaining to grow respect for the diagnosis and treatment of lymphedema and to create networks of support and services so you can get what you need. I firmly believe that creating a new future for lymphedema means we must all be bridge builders. LE&RN has created a beautiful community and platform that allows these bridges to form. We need more Centers of Excellence, more skilled professionals, patient resources, and a way to tackle the work together. As Social Media Chairperson for LE&RN’s Tennessee Chapter, I want to help build those bridges in our home state. I firmly believe what we do together will be greater and better than what any one of us can create alone.