Join fun run to fight Lymphedema and Lymphatic Diseases on Oct. 19

The Lymphatic Education and Research Network (LE&RN) is hosting a 5K fun run on Saturday, October 19, in Riverside Park in Upper Manhattan to fight Lymphedema and Lymphatic Disease.

This year is the 10th annual #LymphWalk. The event benefits the LE&RN’s programs and research as well as provide an opportunity for the community impacted by lymphatic disease to come together. It is also a way to educate the public about Lymphedema and Lymphatic Disease, which impacts millions of people and cancer survivors around the world.

“This year’s Walk in New York is a milestone. We not only mark 10 years of walking for a cure, but we also look back with pride on how far we have come,” said William Repicci, LE&RN President & CEO.

Lymphatic disease is a class of conditions impacting the lymphatic system. More than 150 million people worldwide have secondary lymphedema, according to the World Health Organization, while the the incidence of primary lymphedema could be as high as 1 in 300 live births, according to the NIH. Nearly 1.4 billion people in 73 countries are threatened by lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis. Over 120 million people are currently infected, with 40 million disfigured and incapacitated by the disease. 

Lymphatic disease also particularly impacts survivors of other disease. The incidence of secondary lymphedema among cancer survivors is 20–40 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Other diseases impacted by the lymphatic system include heart disease, AIDS, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer metastasis.

To sign up for the 5K, join a team, form a team, or support a team, just visit LymphWalk.org.