Dorset charity receives £20,000 from Walk the Walk for its “closer to home” lymphoedema clinic

(L-R) Katherine Kennedy (Clinical Assistant, Lymphoedema Service); Linda Sjollema, (Senior Lymphoedema Nurse Specialist); Esmarié Jones (Lymphoedema Nurse Specialist)

We’re thrilled to be making another grant to the wonderful Dorset charity, Lewis-Manning Hospice Care.

Thanks to our fantastic supporters, Walk the Walk has made a gift of £20,000, which has allowed Lewis-Manning to find a more permanent home for its lymphoedema clinics. 

Lewis-Manning Hospice Care's CEO Clare Gallie said:

"We are very grateful for the kind generosity of Walk the Walk for funding our new ‘closer to home’ lymphoedema clinics at AECC in Dorset. It was a privilege for me to attend and speak at The Moonwalk London this year, chat to their amazing supporters and to have the opportunity to continue our work together. Treatment and support for breast cancer patients is vital, Walk the Walk play a key part in this across the UK and their support in Dorset means a great deal to Lewis-Manning Hospice Care."

Lymphoedema is a painful side effect of a patient’s cancer treatment, which occurs when the body’s drainage system doesn’t work properly. It can often lead to severe swelling in the arms, legs, feet and other parts of the body, causing mobility problems, acute pain and potentially infections.

Lewis-Manning originally launched a mobile lymphoedema clinic in 2020. The following year an Emergency Covid grant from Walk the Walk helped keep this vital service running. Walk the Walk’s latest grant has enabled Lewis-Manning to find a more permanent home for the clinic in rooms at AECC College in the Boscombe area of Bournemouth.

Senior Lymphoedema Nurse Specialist Linda Sjollema said: 

"Our Lymphoedema nurses love the new location, we’re so thrilled and very grateful to Walk the Walk for enabling this to happen. It’s spacious and welcoming and provides modern facilities which are convenient and ideal for delivering care to our patients."

From its new premises, Lewis-Manning now runs two Lymphoedema Clinics simultaneously, which see up to 12 patients a day for initial assessment, reviews and therapy sessions. Two thirds of the people using the service either have or are recovering from breast cancer.

Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk said:

“We are delighted to once again support Lewis-Manning. This grant will allow the charity to continue to provide vital hospice care to patients at their Lymphoedema Clinic at AECC University College. It has been very satisfying to watch this wonderful charity’s role in providing support “Closer to Home” for cancer patients in Dorset, it is absolutely crucial – lymphoedema can be one of the most painful side effects of cancer treatment. Grants like these are very exciting news for Walk the Walk’s amazing fundraisers and we are delighted to help to make a difference where we can, and where it is needed most.”

Sign up now for one of our 2023 MoonWalks (or maybe all three!) and help Walk the Walk continue to make a difference.