Working together to improve lymphedema care in Nova Scotia
ABSTRACT:
This article describes recent advocacy progress to improve lymphedema awareness, education, and access to care in Nova Scotia. Drawing on the lived experience and leadership of the Lymphedema Association of Nova Scotia (LANS), the authors outline how years of community-building and advocacy led to engagement with the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness beginning in 2024. These discussions resulted in an opportunity to submit a funding proposal to support lymphedema education, early diagnosis, and improved access to care in the province. The article highlights several important developments, including formal recognition of lymphedema in the Nova Scotia Legislature, funding to support specialized lymphedema education for 25 healthcare professionals through the University of Alberta, plans to bring national experts to Halifax, and the launch of a pilot compression garment funding program. The authors emphasize that while these steps represent meaningful progress, long-term improvement will require sustained collaboration among patients, clinicians, community advocates, government, and provincial partners. The article also situates Nova Scotia’s progress within a broader Atlantic Canadian context, noting growing interest in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick and the importance of regional collaboration ahead of the 2027 Canadian Lymphedema Framework Assembly in Halifax.
How to cite: Bingham, Karen; Brownlow During, Sarah. Pathways. 2026;15(3): 16-17. https://doi.org/10.70472/XDNM6932
This article was published in Pathways, the quarterly print and online publication of the Canadian Lymphedema Framework. Open Access – Read Online Here
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