National campaign for lymphedema awareness - the lymphatic education & research network (LE & RN) is uniquely positioned to successfully implement a national campaign to raise awareness about…

National campaign for lymphedema awareness - the lymphatic education & research network (LE & RN) is uniquely positioned to successfully implement a national campaign to raise awareness about lymphedema among the public and health care providers (hcps). Up to 10 million individuals in the united states live with lymphedema (LE) [1] which requires ongoing therapies that entail chronic physical interventions and may include surgery, drastically and negatively impacts a patient?s quality of life. The extraordinary cost to the US healthcare system is based upon an estimated aggregate cost /patient-year of more than $62,000 [3]. Disturbingly, over 80% cancer-related LE patients may be uninformed or trained about the development of lymphedema following surgery. [25]this project will leverage 20 years of experiencing educating and training patients and hcps about lymphedema, as well as a vast network of institutional partners including medical associations (american society of breast surgeons, american venous forum, american vein & lymphatic society), research institutions (stanford university medical school, harvard medical school, and others), and over 30 centers of excellence in the diagnosis and treatment of lymphatic diseases (?coes,? Which are part of a network formed by LE & RN). Beyond the team/ partnership?s experience in the research and training around this chronic disease, LE & RN has extensive experience designing and executing awareness campaigns that are national in scope. This project will involve two key phases, with all activities aligned with and designed to achieve the performance outcomes outlined by the CDC. Phase i ? In partnership with stanford university, LE & RN will synthesize and compile disease indicators and information about best/ evidence-based practices for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of LE. This information will be disseminated to public health professionals. Also in this phase, cancer patients and hcps will be surveyed so that gaps in knowledge may be pinpointed, and used as the basis for materials (phase II) to be disseminated to these same groups. Phase II ? In collaboration with a media/ promotion company (citizen group), with which LE & RN has successfully collaborated in past/ similar efforts, a comprehensive awareness campaign will be developed and implemented. The campaign will consist, primarily, of promoting LE & RN?s existing and newly developed (during project) educational materials through social networks and public service announcements (video ADS played at no-cost to the project on networks/ syndicates across the country). The primary demographic within the public audience, to be targeted with awareness information, are individuals with cancer (who are at the highest risk of developing LE) who have not yet had surgical intervention. Additional awareness activities will include presentations at events and on nationally-televised television programming through LE & RN?s celebrity ?ambassadors.? LE & RN?s extensive network of medial association partners as well as the coes will further assist in the dissemination of educational materials to both patients and hcps. Throughout the project, the PI will monitor progress and available metrics (available through social media/ ad platforms) and adjust campaign activities accordingly. This project is expected to reach over 20 million individuals with at least one campaign message, and result in PSA-ADS with an estimated value of between $4.5 - $5.5 million.