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Greetings from all of us at Bellisse! Only a few years ago there was no name for the painful swelling in the tissues of the chest and breast, and very little knowledge of how to diagnose or treat it. Now "truncal lymphedema" has a name and passionate, tireless, outspoken advocates for awareness and treatment. Bellisse is proud to have been a pioneer in this movement, and thrilled at the new level of awareness in the medical community.Truncal lymphedema has become a hot topic at conferences, thanks in very large part to Lesli's hectic speaking schedule. Her schedule is busier than ever this spring. Following an in-service in Ann Arbor, MI, at the end of April, Lesli will be speaking at the Essentially Women Conference in Lexington, KY, in early May. In June, Lesli will be at the Bellisse® booth at the Breast Cancer Soirée in Plattsburgh, NY, and in July, she will represent Bellisse® at the Women's Health Boutique Conference in Las Vegas. In August, Lesli will be one of the speakers at the First International Patient Summit of the National Lymphedema Network. For more information about any of these events, visit the news page of the Bellisse website. The reward for all this work comes when we hear from women all over the country who have been helped by our efforts, and who themselves make the commitment to "spread the word" so that other women don't have to suffer any more. With our very best wishes to all of you who are part of our effort to help lymphedema patients,
I am only one, - Edward Everett Hale
Bellisse's customers ask Susan Tessier, our Customer Service Manager, lots of questions every day. Here are a couple of the most common ones:
Q: Is the Bellisse Compressure Comfort® Bra a
mastectomy bra?
Q: Can the Compressure Comfort® Bra perform
the function of a mastectomy bra? To see the answers to some other commonly-asked questions, visit the new "FAQ" page on the Bellisse website at http://www.bellisse.com/patients/faq.shtml Susan Tessier is Bellisse's Customer Service Manager.
Bellisse® is proud to have been granted a Utility Patent for the Compressure Comfort® Bra. This means that the US Patent Office has recognized that no other bra or compression garment on the market does what the Compressure Comfort® Bra does - namely, provide comfortable compression to all the areas that can be affected by truncal lymphedema, without impeding lymphatic drainage. To understand all the details that go into making this an effective compression garment, go to http://www.bellisse.com/hcp/featben.shtml
We at Bellisse recently received a letter that made us feel great. It comes from a woman in California who has directly benefited from our efforts to spread the word about lymphedema and bring help and comfort to lymphedema sufferers. She writes: "Thank you so much for your help, and for the speed of your response. It has been incredibly difficult to get information about breast lymphedema, even from doctors at good cancer centers. Who would have ever guessed that it would be the compassionate people at Bellisse® who would finally show me the light at the end of the tunnel for this terrible journey? Your information has probably kept me from making some decisions that would have made my condition much worse...[I] intend to share with others in similar situations the help Bellisse has provided me."
Carolyn M. To read the full text of Carolyn's letter and some of the other testimonials we've received, visit http://www.bellisse.com/patients/testimonials.shtml Do you have a great story about our product you'd like to share with us? Your stories will inspire us and help others. We'd love to hear from you at or toll-free at 1-877-273-1683.
Before founding Bellisse®, Lisa Lindahl made women's history by creating the very first sports bra, the Jogbra. A revolution in women's sports and fitness, the Jogbra prototype was sewn up in the costume shop in the Royall Tyler Theater at the University of Vermont, where Lisa was a student. In March, as part of the State of Vermont's celebration of Women's History Month, Lisa and her Jogbra partners Hinda Miller and Polly Smith were asked to return to the same theater, where they were honored by local women entrepreneurs, athletes, and coaches, and where their contribution to women's sports and entrepreneurship was recognized with the placement of a commemorative plaque. One of the original Jogbra sports bras is in the Smithsonian institute, and one is also in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's costume collection, where it is designated as "a revolutionary piece of women's underwear, circa 1977".
by Lesli Bell, PT, CLT-LANA There have been no scientific studies about the appropriate amount of compression for truncal lymphedema, because no measurement system has been developed to assess the amount and quality of swelling in the trunk. All we can do right now is rely on practitioners' ability to palpate and assess swelling and treatment needs. Treatment considerations for truncal lymphedema are very different than those for arm lymphedema. For example, the tissue around the chest wall is much less bulky and has much less muscle than arm tissue. In the breasts themselves there are no muscles at all to pump out fluid. Therefore the amount of compression needed on the breasts and trunk is far less than in the arm. Another problem with determining the appropriate amount of compression for truncal edema is that swelling, pressure, and discomfort frequently fluctuate with heat, activity, and even with flying. The level of edema in trunk is very sensitive to pressure changes, which is why adjustability (especially in milder cases) is a much needed - and much appreciated - element in truncal compression. Because there is no absolute guide, many practitioners around the country are using patient comfort as a guide to appropriate compression for the trunk, and are getting excellent symptom amelioration and edema reduction. Practitioners tell of patients reducing as much as 2 cup sizes within a week or so while they are in active treatment. Sometimes the best guide is the patient's comfort level or degree of pain relief. Patients can feel when their movements are less restricted, and when linear pressure around the trunk has been reduced. This is very important, especially when we are trying to clear the UE through the affected chest wall, because it provides improved drainage for alternate lymphatic pathways. The Compressure Comfort® Bra provides for all of these variables for the patient with truncal edema, with a silhouette that is acceptable and comfortable under clothing. It is especially appropriate for the patient with long term care and management needs.
Dr. Dixie Mills is writing a new book on "gifts and miracles" in women's experience of breast cancer, and is asking breast cancer survivors to contribute their responses to four questions that reflect on the ways that breast cancer has changed their lives and beliefs. This is a great opportunity for women with post- breast-cancer lymphedema to share their stories with others, so that fellow lymphedema sufferers can get the help and information they need.
If you would like to participate, click on the following link:
Since some cancer and lymphedema patients have been helped by alternative medicine, Bellisse® would like to profile some of the more famous and influential leaders in the field. Our series starts with Louise Hay, whose world-famous You Can Heal Your Life details Hay's own experience with cancer. Through the use of affirmations, visualization, nutritional cleansing and psychotherapy, Hay was able to heal her cancer within six months - without surgery or drugs. Hay believes that her methods are equally applicable to other forms of disease. Our ideas about ourselves often cause our emotional and physical problems, she claims, and if we change our thinking, we can change our lives and health for the better. The power is within us! Click here to find out more about You Can Heal Your Life and to read an excerpt. Please note that the above profile is provided as a matter of interest and information only, and should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement of Hay's beliefs or methods.
It is not enough to be good. You must be good for something. You must contribute good to the world. The world must be a better place for your presence. And the good that is in you must be spread to others. In this world so filled with problems, so constantly threatened by dark and evil challenges, you can and must rise above mediocrity, above indifference. You can become involved and speak with a strong voice for that which is right. - Gordon B. Hinkley
This newsletter contains articles that we believe will be of general interest to the Bellisse community of lymphedema patients, their family and friends, and their health care providers. Sometimes, however, we have news and links that are of interest to only one of these groups. To be sure that you are you are in all the categories that interest you, please click on the "Update my profile" link at the very bottom of this newsletter. As always, Bellisse will not share your information with anyone else.
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