International Lymphoedema Framework Conference 2025 – Niagara Falls: A Memorable Experience

It is not every day that you get to attend and speak at an international conference in one of the seven natural wonders of North America. I was very fortunate this year to attend the International Lymphoedema Framework (ILF) Conference 2025 in Niagara Falls, Canada.

The conference kicked off with a wonderful first day filled with presentations, learning opportunities, new contacts, and a chance to view and visit the falls. The atmosphere was vibrant and energetic, with attendees and presenters eager to dive into the sessions, have deep discussions about lymphoedema and network.

Day One Highlights

The first day featured several interesting sessions, including:

• 🧠 Cognitive impairment in lymphoedema
• 📏 How outcome measures influence funding
• 🔣 How prevalence data is collected in Canada
• 🦶🏿 Characteristics of foot morphology in lymphoedema

I had the privilege of presenting in an international session alongside other allied health professionals and scientists from Japan, Greece, and Scotland. The day concluded with a drinks reception with an opportunity to network and meet new people.

Day Two Insights

The second day of the conference focused on the value of MDT (Multidisciplinary Team) working, team collaboration, and knowledge sharing. It was good to see that the work we are doing at Accelerate with the evolution of our MDT is not too dissimilar to other work going on around the world.

The presentations on MDT working underpinned the importance of teamwork in lymphoedema care and how crucial it is. The care for individuals living with lymphoedema is multifaceted and extends beyond the clinical setting into research, medical sciences, industry, and even into the political sphere.

Highlights from day two included:

• 🤝 Building MDT research teams panel discussion
• 🎯 Skills zone on using Comfi Wave and wraps with Haddenham Healthcare Limited
• 💉 New research on GLP-1 meds in lymphoedema

The day ended with an inspiring closing keynote by Prof. Kristiana Gordon, who discussed the challenges, triumphs, and progress in managing challenging cases.

Day Three Highlights

The third day continued to deliver valuable insights and learning opportunities. Some of the key highlights were:

• ⏰ A 7am masterclass run by David Keast on managing biofilms and wounds
• 🔑 An inspiring keynote from Heather Ferguson of the Lymphoedema Advocacy Group in the USA Home | The Lymphedema Advocacy Group
• 📖 The launch of the “Chronic Oedema of the Lower Limb: A Practical Guideline” by Mark Collier and Christine Moffatt Chronic oedema of the lower limb — Practical guidance on diagnosis, effective treatment and ongoing management :: Cambridge Media Journals. As an author on one of the chapters it was great to be there for the launch of this important document and also to work with my co-authors on this international collaboration.
• 🎤 Engaging talks on disseminating research, a ‘scoping review’ on YouTube lymphoedema advice content, the evolution of Pathways Journal in Canada Pathways Back Issues : Canadian Lymphedema Framework, and sarcopenic obesity

Overall, the International Lymphoedema Framework Conference 2025 was an enriching experience, filled with valuable knowledge, networking opportunities, and memorable moments. I did not understand the importance and commitment of the established frameworks around the world and this conference gave me insight into this. Also, the opportunity to engage with and see all the new products from industry partners was very exciting.

The future focus for the frameworks will be on care for people living with filarial lymphoedema and podoconosis. Over 657 million people in 39 countries worldwide remain threatened by lymphatic filariasis, which is a global issue.