In July 2025, The Cancer Letter published a landmark feature on Col. Susan Fondy, LE&RN Ambassador, living with breast cancer-related lymphedema. This piece captures why LE&RN’s advocacy matters now more than ever, exposing the devastating impact of lymphedema and the critical threats to funding that could affect millions.
Read the Article That Reveals What is Being Cut, Silenced, and Ignored
Key Quotes: LE&RN Speaks Out
“It is incredibly frustrating to me that all the steps that we took are threatened to be taken away. I don’t want people who are diagnosed with lymphedema today to have the same experience I had.”—Col. Susan Fondy, LE&RN Ambassador
“One of the things we hear quite often from people in the medical field is, ‘People don’t die from lymphedema.’ And the reality is, people are dying every day as a result of the impact of having this disease.”—William Repicci, LE&RN President and CEO
Key Takeaways: What’s at Risk for the Lymphatic Community
The National Commission on Lymphatic Diseases has gone silent.
LE&RN’s cancer-related lymphedema site, visited by 500+ people daily, is at risk after funding from the Chronic Disease Education and Awareness Program was zeroed out.
Veterans Affairs staffing reductions could impact access to healthcare for our nation’s heroes.
Grants for lymphatic research have been frozen, canceled, or caught in political crossfire.
ARPA-H initiatives, once full of hope, now face steep budget reductions.
This story is a must-read for everyone in the lymphatic disease community.
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