From William Repicci, President & CEO
 We look forward to summer for its slower pace. Yet, when it comes to the lymphatic field, there is an acceleration in our progress that continues unabated.
Last week, the House of Representatives passed the FY2021 appropriations bill to include language that “directs” the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to create a National Commission on Lymphatic Diseases. In addition, it “directs” NIH to create a research category specifically for lymphedema. I cannot adequately thank Dale Dirks and Philip Goglas of the Health & Medicine Council for their tireless efforts which are helping us to achieve our legislative goals. However, it is your advocacy that will determine our success. This is why it is so important that everyone reading this newsletter write emails to the leaders at NIH affirming the need for them to act.
This fall we prepare to support a new lymphedema drug study. On November 12-13, LE&RN will be hosting a 9-Credit CME Virtual Lymphatic Summit, The Continuum from Evolving Research to State-of-the-Art Lymphatic Management, in collaboration with Stanford University. LE&RN is also again partnering with the Boston Lymphatic Symposium taking place this fall. The symposium will include the airing of LE&RN’s virtual production of the play, “Let’s Talk Lymphedema.”
This summer, several institutions will be newly designated as LE&RN Centers of Excellence in the Treatment of Lymphatic Diseases. At the same time, in conjunction with our LymphNotes partners, we will be awarding up to ten scholarships to therapists seeking certification in lymphedema therapy in the U.S.
I congratulate all those in our community who have been steadfast in their efforts to realize these gains. With great pleasure, I present our latest issue of Lymphedema & Lymphatic Disease Matters. |
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National Lymphatic Commission progress
 Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on the FY2022 appropriations bill. There was a dramatic edit to the bill, supported by Committee Chair Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Committee Member Rep. Tom Cole. Rather than “encouraging” NIH to establish a National Commission on Lymphatic Diseases, the language now “directs” NIH to do so. Likewise, the bill “directs” NIH to report on LE research within 30 days (rather than 60) and “directs” it to create a research category for lymphedema.
This represents amazing progress, but concrete action will happen only if we continue to apply pressure. Please, tell your story and share your demands with the Directors at NIH; their email addresses are below. And copy LE&RN on your letter at LERN@lymphaticnetwork.org. It will take thousands of emails, but this is a challenge that we must meet.
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Free admission to the online play, "Let's Talk Lymphedema" for Boston Lymphatic Symposium participants
 The Boston Lymphatic Symposium (Patient Symposium: October 30; Clinical Symposium: November 5-6) is honored to offer this year’s registrants a unique bonus to the scheduled program. Following the program, registrants will receive complimentary access to a virtual presentation of the play, Let’s Talk Lymphedema. The world premiere of this play by Brian Daniels and directed by Mark Armstrong aired as part of LE&RN’s Virtual World Lymphedema Day Celebration, March 6, 2021, with generous support from Juzo. This rebroadcast is made possible through a grant to LE&RN from Fondation Ipsen, under the aegis of Fondation de France.
Please visit bostonlymphaticsymposium.org for more information regarding the speakers and agendas, and to register. The Patient Symposium will be held October 30, 2021. The Clinical Symposium will be held November 5-6, 2021. |
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Lymphatic Research & Biology doubles Journal Impact Factor (JIF)
 The 2020 Journal Impact Factor (JIF) for Lymphatic Research & Biology (LR&B) was released in July and showed that this number, which measures how frequently the average article in a journal has been cited in a particular year and is used to measure a journal's importance or rank, doubled from the previous year.
We congratulate and thank those who have dedicated themselves to making Lymphatic Research & Biology a success: Publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.; Editor Stanley Rockson, MD; and all the researchers who have chosen to have their work published in our journal. |
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LE&RN/LymphNotes U.S. Lymphedema Therapist Scholarship application deadline approaching
 LE&RN/LymphNotes U.S. Lymphedema Therapist Scholarships are awarded annually in memory of writer and lymphedema (LE) advocate Ann Ehrlich who initiated the awards in 2013. Despite increasing awareness of LE, there is currently only one therapist for every 1,000 people with LE in the United States. The application deadline for this opportunity is August 2, 2021. Coursework must be completed by August 31, 2022. Applicants must be LE&RN Supporting Members. |
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