Shared Decision-Making: How to Advocate for Yourself and Others for Better Lymphedema Care

Julia Osborne, PT, CLT-LANA

CEO & Clinical Director, Oncology Rehab, CO

Julia is the founder of Oncology Rehab, established in 2009, which is dedicated to outpatient oncology rehabilitation. Oncology Rehab provides innovative, evidence-based specialized care to patients with oncological diagnoses in all tumor sites and through all phases of treatment and works in partnership with HCA and Sarah Cannon in Colorado and Texas. From 2007 to 2014 Julia taught oncology rehabilitation through North American Seminars and was an associate faculty member at Regis University, Denver, CO, teaching oncology rehabilitation to DPT students in the program. In 2014 Julia founded PORi – The Physiological Oncology Rehabilitation Institute – the education and teaching division of Oncology Rehab. Julia has presented at numerous NLN and APTA conferences as well as other oncology and lymphedema related conferences both nationally and internationally. In 2019 Julia was awarded a Fulbright Specialist Scholarship in oncology rehabilitation and lymphedema care and successfully completed an oncology education project in Varna, Bulgaria where she taught the very first class of this kind to physical therapists there. Her passion for teaching in the field of oncology rehabilitation, both in the USA and internationally, is rooted in patient treatment, which remains the cornerstone of her drive and determination to make oncology rehabilitation a standard component of care for all patients with a cancer diagnosis.

Christine Perkins, LOTR

Lymphedema Specialist, Baton Rouge General Medical Center, LA

Christine (Chris) Perkins is a Licensed Occupational Therapist. She graduated from LSU- New Orleans in 1991 in Occupational Therapy. She has worked in the rehabilitation clinical setting with specialties in burn rehab, oncology rehab, and lymphedema. She completed lymphedema training through Coast to Coast School of Lymphedema Management -Leduc Method in 2001, several courses through ACOLS (Academy of Lymphatic Studies), and courses by Linda T. Miller. She continues to attend and participate in educational conferences to remain current on new developments in the treatment of oncology rehab and lymphedema. In 2007, she became a certified instructor for the Healthy Steps Lebed Method focus on healing. Currently, Chris specializes in breast cancer rehab and lymphedema. She is a certified fitter for all lymphedema pressure garments, products, and alternative devices. She started and coordinates The Baton Rouge Lymphedema Support Group. She is active in the cancer community, support groups, and cancer events; as well provides Healthy Step exercises classes for breast cancer survivors – free to the community through funding initially received by a Susan G. Komen grant.

Denise Pfeiffer, MSPT

Oncology Rehabilitation Navigator/Coordinator, Lee Health Regional Cancer Center, FL

Denise has over 27 years of experience in the field of Physical Therapy. She graduated in 1995 with a combined Bachelor and Master of Science degree in Physical therapy from Buffalo, New York. She has practiced physical therapy throughout the Lee Health care system in Fort Myers Florida in multiple treatment settings including: Acute care, Inpatient Neurological rehabilitation, Home Health and Outpatient Physical therapy. Denise took special interest in the area of Women’s Health and Oncology Rehabilitation. This passion led her to develop post-operative education for mastectomy and breast surgery patients. She assisted in the development and design of clinical documentation for education and exercises for this population. She is also a certificated oncology clinician. She is currently the Cancer Rehabilitation Navigator and coordinator for the Cancer Rehabilitation Program at the Lee Health Regional Cancer Center. She works in partnership with the Physicians, Oncologists, Surgeons, Nurse Navigators and medical providers throughout the community. Her role as Rehab Navigator specializes in cancer rehab program development, educating and triaging all cancer diagnoses to appropriate services, and identifying rehabilitation needs to ensure patients can return to their optimal level of function and quality of life. She co-authored a manuscript in Supportive Care in Cancer, highlighting the role of Cancer Rehabilitation Navigation in collaboration with leading national cancer rehab researcher, Nicole Stout. She also delivered a poster presentation at the December 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on the “Initial experience using the SOZO bio-impedance device over a 2-year surveillance period for identifying subclinical breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) in patients attending a multidisciplinary breast clinic.”

Maureen McBeth, MPT, CLT-LANA

Key Accounts Specialist, ImpediMed
Maureen has over 25 years’ experience as a physical therapist, specializing in lymphedema and cancer rehabilitation. She is a member of APTA and the Lymphatic Disorders Special Interest Group of the Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy. She regularly speaks at conferences and continuing education programs, has been involved in a long-term volunteer project to help advance lymphedema care in Cali, Colombia, and supports the many lymphatic advocacy efforts in the US. Her passion is geared toward creating the knowledge base and driving the social connections to increase the adoption of new technology and clinical practice guidelines for prospective surveillance of cancer-related lymphedema.