Help save the MUHC Lymphedema Program

After being charitably funded for 18 years, the Lymphedema Program of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) under Dr. Anna Towers in Montreal is threatened with closure effective April 1, 2024, due to a pending discontinuation of funding.

An earlier communication contained a typo and stated that the closing year was 2004.

Does this decision impact only lymphedema patients in Quebec? Absolutely not. The need for standardized quality lymphedema care affects everyone in Canada. But the issue is much more than just funding. It’s fighting for lymphedema to be recognized as a chronic condition with care that deserves to be covered and integrated into our mainstream healthcare system. The MUHC Lymphedema Program is a model of care that other provinces reference in their advocacy efforts to have lymphedema diagnosis and care covered.

Closing this program will impact multiple advocacy efforts across the country. With cancer treatments becoming increasingly high-tech and expensive, we need to increase advocacy for essential support services such as lymphedema care.

We encourage all readers, regardless of where you live in Canada, the United States or abroad, to urgently lend your voice by signing the petition right now.

The MUHC Lymphedema Program is recognized as a Lymphatic Centre of Excellence, and is the only Canadian site to have achieved this distinguished recognition. This program has served over 20,000 patients to date, and is recognized provincially, nationally, and internationally for its expertise in the following three areas:

Dr. Towers is one of the CLF’s founding members and served for many years as our Co-Chair. Though she has now retired from our Board of Directors, she continues to volunteer her time contributing to our mission in multiple ways. She is a member of our Medical Advisory Committee and our Editorial Board, serves on our Scientific Committees and presents at our conferences and educational events. She routinely contributes to our publications and best practice documents. 

Dr. Towers and her MUHC team have graciously shared their clinical expertise innumerable times over the years in consultation with clinicians and patients alike on complex cases.

We are greatly concerned about the impact this closing will have on the advancement of lymphedema care and what it means for cancer survivors and lymphedema patients in the province of Québec. 

(c) 2024 Canadian Lymphedema Framework | Website