With Aaron’s help, with just a few weeks notice before the deadline, the Lymphatic Education & Research Network won a $980,805 CDC grant (“Expanding the National Approach to Chronic Disease Education and Awareness” – funded over 3 years – to develop and executive a public/ provider awareness campaign targeting lymphatic diseases.

Up to 10 million individuals in the United States live with Lymphedema which requires ongoing therapies that entail chronic physical interventions and may include surgery, drastically and negatively impacts a patient’s quality of life. This project will involve two key phases. Phase I – In partnership with Stanford University, LE&RN will synthesize and compile disease indicators and information about best/ evidence-based practices for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of LE. This information will be disseminated to public health professionals. Also in this phase, cancer patients and HCPs will be surveyed so that gaps in knowledge may be pinpointed, and used as the basis for materials (Phase II) to be disseminated to these same groups. Phase II – In collaboration with a media/ promotion company, a comprehensive awareness campaign will be developed and implemented. The campaign will consist, primarily, of promoting LE&RN’s existing and newly developed (during project) educational materials through social networks and public service announcements (video ads played at no-cost to the project on networks/ syndicates across the country).

Congratulations to this highly reputable and effective organization on their big win!