Dr. Ridwan Abdulfattah, PT is a certified physiotherapist currently practicing in Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation degree from Obafemi Awolowo University in 2016and is currently pursuing a masters degree in Cardiopulmonary physiotherapy at Bayero University Kano. In his experience managing patients with lymphedema, particularly amongst cancer survivors, he realized that there were several barriers in the way of effective management. Some of these include inadequate knowledge of lymphedema amongst healthcare providers and the general populace, late diagnosis and referrals, limited access to lymphedema specialists, a severe shortage of access to equipment and consumables required in the management of the condition and a fragmented, uncoordinated referral pathway amongst others. These challenges, coupled with the social stigma associated with the condition, have left many patients without access to standardized care and a grim outlook in terms of their quality of life. 

He however found a ray of hope when he attended an online bootcamp on lymphedema and complete decongestive therapy (CDT) organized by Dr Abigail Leslie, LE&RN Kenya Chapter Chair. He realized that in Nigeria, just like in Kenya, there is a significant gap in standardization of care and management of lymphedema as well as inadequate societal support for individuals living with the condition. Then she also introduced him to LE&RN where he discovered that there was a global community dedicated to advocacy, education and research about lymphedema and other lymphatic diseases. Since then, he has reached out to other therapists and healthcare providers in Nigeria involved in managing lymphedema in a bid to promote collaboration and sustained efforts in the fight against lymphedema. He hopes that starting a LE&RN Chapter in Nigeria will consolidate these efforts in achieving standardized lymphedema management and also integrate Nigeria into the global advocacy for lymphedema care and management.