Julian's Story

I was diagnosed with Lymphedema when I was 10 years old and had to run around to a bunch of different doctors. None who really knew how to treat or diagnose my condition. BC has come a long way, but there is still a ways to go. The province now offers specialized surgeries for people with Lymphedema, and has much better diagnosis and maintenance, and a lot of that is due to the hard work and advocacy of the BC Lymphedema association. Gaps still remain in care and we can do better for those who need help.

Early intervention and proper care prevent serious health conditions from developing down the line that are even more costly to both patients' and the province's chequebook. Lymphedema has no cure and the longer you go without intervention the worse it becomes.

In the same way we see big businesses making short term decisions to cut costs that in turn lead to more long term costs, the same is true with the province and what they cover for people with medical needs.

One area we can do better is for Lymphedema patients who need compression garments. No doctor out there who would say it is acceptable for someone living with Lymphedema to go without wearing a compression garment in their daily life. Despite that the province doesn’t cover that cost. Yes, if you are very low income and develop lymphedema after breast cancer you can get some coverage. 

Compression garments are non-negotiable for people with Lymphedema. Surely the province must have some incredibly compelling reason to avoid paying the cost of those garments right? Maybe compression garments are astronomically expensive? Nope. Garments are a few hundred dollars each. Not cheap, especially when you’re paying for them as an individual, but far lower than you would expect for the province to not cover a necessary medical expense. The yearly cost for compression garments to patients is right in line with the cost of Insulin for a year. Canada.ca puts the cost of Insulin “in the range of $900-$1,700 per year," and those costs would cover 3-6 compression garments for anyone with Lymphedema, which is enough to cover the vast majority of patients a whole year. 

One concern for the BCLA is making sure that everyone has access to the same level of treatment that those of us in the lower mainland have. That includes a wish list for Lymphedema clinics and doctors that can service the rest of the province.Also making sure everyone has access to qualified professionals who can do Manual Lymphatic Drainage to help manage their Lymphedema. 

And lastly our goals include making sure everyone has the education and knowledge they need to treat their condition effectively. That’s why we're here talking to you today, maybe you know someone who is affected by Lymphedema or maybe you had cancer surgery and weren't even aware you were at risk for Lymphedema. No matter who you are, the BCLA is committed to expanding care and finding solutions for those underserved, and we’d love all the help we can get. If you’d like to find out more about the condition or our cause, become a member, or donate so we can help advance treatment, you can find us at bclymph.org

Thank you,

Julian Del Balso

Julian is currently a Director for the BCLA and has dealt with primary Lymphedema since he was a child.