LAQ Newsletter

DANS CE NUMÉRO Lumière sur la thérapie au laser de faible intensité Les symptômes connexes au lymphœdème Parlons habillement

SPÉCIAL

pour les membres de l'AQL Accès aux articles traduits en français au fr.infolympho.ca/revue-Pathways

Finally! An adapted garment program!

Dear readers, This is the news we have all been waiting for! After years of consultation, discussion and pressure, the lymphedema patients of Quebec finally have a program tailored to their needs (details on page XX).

The LAQ thanks everyone - therapists, doctors, politicians, government officials, decision makers - who believed in our demands and supported them. But above all, we tip our hats to all the patients who have fought beside us while dealing with an unfair situation. We approach the future keeping in mind the second phase of our requests: the introduction of routine screening and access to treatment.

Speaking of the future, don't miss our special event, the LAQ Lymphedema Rendez-vous 2018, to be held October 22 at the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Montréal (CHUM): The Immediate Future of Lymphedema and chronic edema. More info on page XX. Our future is so full of hope. That's what you will discover with our articles: laser treatment of lymphedema, taking related lymphedema symptoms into account, the rigour of clinical practice guidelines, the full scope of Decongestive Lymphatic Dherapy (DLT ), the research into the confluence of atherosclerosis and the lymphatic system and, finally, the inspiring story of a woman with primary lymphedema who regained control of her body.

This issue is an intense read, informative and emotional, that will help patients, caregivers and professionals understand the condition in order to help constantly advance the fate of patients... until healing is achieved. We believe in this!

Anne-Marie Joncas Rédactrice en chef

Upcoming Events Living well with lymphedema:

Education and support groups for people who have lymphedema or are at risk

Montréal: 22 oct Rendez-vous : L’avenir immédiate du lymphœdème et de l’odème chronique (bilingue) 12 nov Exercise and lymphedema (English) 10 déc Auto-drainage du lymphœdème (français) Si vous souhaitez ouvrir un groupe d’éducation et d’entraide dans votre région et que vous êtes patient ou thérapeute certifié en lymphœdème, l’AQL vous fournira gratuitement matériel d’information et soutien. Communiquez avec nous au 514-979-2463.

Pour des renseignements supplémentaires veuillez nous contacter au www.infolympho.ca • 514 979-2463 • aql@infolympho.ca

Actualités du lymphœdème d'ici et d'ailleurs

Access to garments: we have won!

Quebec finally has a program to help with the purchase of garments for lymphedema. Spanning more than 10 years, the battle to achieve this has been laborious, but so worthwhile! After the initial pilot project, Program for bandages and compression garments necessary for the treatment of lymphedema, which included only one garment per year (2 for children), the newly announced project, redesigned by the LAQ and the RAMQ, now offers a full wardrobe.

For adults, we are allowed coverage up to 75%, or to a pre-established ceiling, for the following supplies per affected limb in one 12 month period: • 1 set of multi-layer bandages • 3 elastic day-time compression garments • 1 non-elastic compression garment (Velcro) • 1 night compression garment • 1 accessory for compression garments

For children, the number of supplies is double that of adults in one 12 month period with the possibility of 100% coverage or up to a pre-established limit.

To clarify, if a person must wear several different garments at the same time for the same limb, these garments will be considered separately. For example, if the patient needs to wear a glove and a sleeve at the same time, over a period of 12 months s/he will be entitled, to: • 3 day-time gloves and 3 sleeves • 1 night-time glove and 1 sleeve • 1 non-elastic glove and 1 sleeve

If the patient has a private insurance, the insurance will be able to cover the part not covered by the RAMQ. For details: http://www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/en/citizens/aid-programs/compression-garments-lymphedema/Pages/compressiongarments-treatment-lymphedema.aspx This complete wardrobe of lymphedema garments would have never seen the day without the support of the members of the AQL and their entourage. This is a great victory!

If your permanent garment prescription does not include night and/or Velcro garments, it is strongly suggested that you revisit your prescribing doctor in order to access these valuable tools that keep swelling low and fight fibrosis.

Are you renewing your garments?

We want to measure the impact of the new program and the financial burden of treatment costs which remain the responsibility of patients.

Please send a copy of your detailed invoice (supplier’s price, RAMQ’s portion, your or your insurer’s portion) as well as a copy of your invoices for decongestive treatments (your portion and the portion of your insurer) to the aql@infolympho.ca

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Actualités du lymphœdème d'ici et d'ailleurs

Don’t miss this exciting fall event

The Rendez-vous du lymphœdème de l’AQL 2018 that will take place October 22 at the Centre hospitalier de l’université de Montéral (CHUM) is the fall event that brings together the lymphedema community.

Open to health professionals and to patients, the Rendez-vous du lymphœdème will be an outstanding opportunity to hear experts speak about lymphatic screening programs and surgery, conservative treatments and manual techniques, research, the choosing and fitting of graments, and much more. Participants will be able to tour the Exhibitors’ Hall where they will be able to see and to feel different compression garments available on the market – a golden opportunity with all the possibilities now available through the revised RAMQ program covering compression garments.

To participate, you must be registered. Register at : : http://fr.infolympho.ca/le-rendez-vous-du-lymphoedeme-2018de-laql-lavenir-immediat-du-lymphoedeme-et-de-loedeme-chronique/ Act quickly. Space is limited.

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