Emad is a Physiotherapist & Certified Lymphedema Therapist at National Center for Cancer Care and Research in Doha, Qatar. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy from Cairo University, Egypt in 2005 and has been working mainly with oncology, hematology and lymphedema patients and conducting lectures for physiotherapists, Allied health care practitioners and community about lymphedema and its management for over 12 years.

In 2012, he completed his initial Lymphedema Certification and received his advanced Lymphedema Certification in 2016 from Klose Training Center at Foeldi clinic in Germany. He obtained his Edema Specialist certification (CES) from the American Physiotherapy Association (APTA) Oncology section in Michigan, USA in 2017 and became LANA certified in 2019.

As a member of the International project for Axillary Web Syndrome Assessment & Treatment Protocol, he participated in a published poster for the protocol outcome in Asia Pacific Lymphology Conference in Darwin-Australia in 2016.

In his effort to spread awareness of lymphatic diseases and its management, he has presented in various national and international conferences, poster presentations and conducted many workshops. He presented his efforts to establish Qatar’s first dedicated lymphedema maganagement clinic in June 2018 at the 8th International Lymphedema Framework conference in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

He won 1st prize award in poster presentation competition at the 2nd Doha Heidelberg Research conference in Doha, Qatar in February 2019 about Constructing a model of care for postoperative Breast Cancer related Lymphedema & Functional Impairments. 

He also took the lead to arrange the 1st Walk to Fight Lymphedema in the Middle East which took place in Doha, Qatar in March 2019 in recognition of World Lymphedema Day.

Mr. Shafi joined The National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) which is the premier cancer hospital for the State of Qatar in 2004. He graduated from India in Physiotherapy. He specialized in Level 4 Cancer Rehabilitation by Wright Foundation from United Kingdom. He is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist from Klose Training in Colorado, USA and further underwent Advanced and Review Course in Head and Neck Lymphedema Management from Foeldi Clinic in Hinterzarten, Germany. He is a certified cancer exercise trainer and specialized in cancer rehabilitation from ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine). 

With these training as background and through dedicated hard work, he became the key person in establishing the first lymphedema clinic in the State of Qatar which is the unique place to treat all types of  lymphatic disease cases. He is currently the Head of Physiotherapy and Lymphedema Department in National Center for Cancer care & research.

He is the key author in developing Clinical Practice Guidelines for Lymphedema Management in state of Qatar. He serves as the core member of various committees under Ministry of Public health, as Lymphedema Specialist including Qatar National Breast Tumor Board, National Clinical Advisory group- Breast Cancer and National Clinical Advisory group - Head and Neck.

Mr. Shafi is an invited speaker at conferences nationally and internationally. He has also conducted many awareness programs and workshops for the public and health care members throughout Qatar and India.

When she was diagnosed with breast cancer in early 2018, Carol was already aware of the strong history of cancer that had spread through multiple generations of her family. Her diagnosis highlighted that cancer had already spread to her lymph nodes and a lumpectomy and removal of 11 lymph nodes was rapidly undertaken. While her surgeon mentioned, in a general sense, that lymph node removal could cause some ‘minor side effects’among ‘somepatients’the discussion focused almost exclusively on the surgery.  

Through her personal knowledge on the impact of post-cancer side effects among family members and her previous work experience, Carol was able to source academic literature, case studies and medical research reports related to the risks associated with lymph node surgery and potential side effects including lymphedema.  Carol was also fortunate to be guided by her post-surgery physiotherapist, from Qatar’s specialist NCCCR Physiotherapy Department, on a range of daily exercises to carry out, risk reduction practices and measures that could be taken to detect any increase in her arm circumference specially that she underwent nine weeks of Radiotherapy which increases the risk of developing lymphedema.

However, during her discussions with other breast cancer patients Carol became alarmingly aware that there was some gap in educating Qatar’s multi-national patients on the risks of post-surgery lymphedema, its potential life-changing impact for patients and the treatments available to help people affected.  

She is committed to helping to raise awareness about lymphedema following cancer treatment as well as helping people to regain their lives.