spring/summer 2013
Rachel Levin Troxell 1 9 7 0 - 2 0 08
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Our Story
The story of LympheDIVAs began in Philadelphia when two young breast cancer survivors, Rachel Troxell and Robin Miller, developed lymphedema, a side effect of breast cancer treatment that can cause permanent swelling in the arms. Their physicians and lymphedema therapists recommended a compression sleeve as the most effective way of controlling the swelling. When they researched the options for the sleeve they found that the only ones available were rough textured, heavy, hot, beige, and bandage-like. Frustrated and dismayed over the lack of options they had for compression sleeves, Robin and Rachel met with Kristin Dudley, a fashion designer, to discuss their idea of creating a more elegant and comfortable compression sleeve. In late 2007, Robin left the company. Soon after, Rachel discovered her breast cancer had returned. While she was being treated, she continued building LympheDIVAs, which brought her much joy during a difficult time in her life. Rachel died January 22, 2008, at the age of 37. Her determination and compassion to improve the lives of breast cancer survivors is very much ingrained in the spirit of LympheDIVAs. Today, LympheDIVAs’ products can be found in retail locations nationwide and internationally. At Rachel’s request, her father Dr. Howard Levin and her mother, Judy Levin took over the responsibility of running the company which their daughter helped found. In August of 2010, Rachel’s little brother, Josh Levin, joined the company and is now running it with his parents. They all hope that LympheDIVAs’ compression apparel will continue to inspire breast cancer survivors everywhere to feel as beautiful, strong and confident as Rachel was.
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about ly m p h e d e m a What is the lymphatic system and lymphedema? The lymphatic system is structured like a web, occasionally draining into small nodes that filter the lymphatic fluid. The system works through the pumping power of the body’s muscles. When the muscles contract they increase pressure within the lymph vessels, which causes the fluid to move. A series of oneway valves ensure that the lymphatic fluid moves in the right direction. Lymphedema is a build up of protein rich fluid in the subcutaneous interstitial compartment. This occurs when either lymph fluid is impeded from flowing through the lymph vessels and lymphatic system or there is an excess of fluid that exceeds the carr ying capacity of the lymph system. The fluid collects in the subcutaneous and deep tissues causing swelling of the affected area and predisposes to chronic inflammation. What happens when lymphedema occurs in people after breast cancer treatment? When a sentinel node is removed, a number of nodes are removed, or if the nodes receive radiation therapy, the body is at risk for lymphedema. The loss of lymph nodes and vessels can result in lymphedema in the arm or other par ts of the body. The amount of fluid collected is variable and at this time is unpredictable because of the variability of the insults and the lymphatic system itself. Why is it important to be aware of this? Any event which stimulates the formation of increased protein fluid and floating cells between the cells in the arm (such as infection, trauma and sun burn) or slows the flow of lymph fluid out of the arm (such as having blood pressure taken with a cuff) can increase the chance of fluid accumulating in the arm. Since no truly curative therapies exist, medical inter vention is focused on preventing occurrences and recurrences and is most often dependent on patient self-management and adherence. Prolonged or severe fluid build up can result in a more severe and permanent lymphedema. How do LympheDIVAs sleeves and gauntlets help manage lymphedema? Lymphedema is managed and treated through a variety of therapies. Compression garments are one such therapy. Our sleeves and gauntlets are Class 1 (20-30mmHg) and Class 2 (30-40mmHg) medical devices. Like other sleeves they utilize graduated compression with the highest pressure at the wrist and hand, which acts as a pump to encourage the lymph vessels to push the lymph fluid toward the body. Our garments are regularly tested to ensure proper compression. How do LympheDIVAs sleeves and gauntlets make lymphedema management easier? We believe that a majority of sleeves that are prescribed and purchased are worn a few times and then hidden in a drawer because of distaste and discomfort. Knowing that a
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compression sleeve cannot reduce the chance of occurrence or swelling by remaining in the drawer, we have made lymphedema management easier by creating a fashionable garment with superior comfort. A LympheDIVA enjoys wearing her sleeve because it is stylish, fashionable and fun. Women are more likely to derive the benefits of the garments simply because they are more likely to wear them and less likely to suffer from complications! Who should wear a LympheDIVAs sleeve? Our garments are appropriate for those with mild to moderate lymphedema, or for those at risk. Our Class 1 sleeves are not recommended for severe swelling. When should a sleeve be worn? We recommend consulting with a doctor or lymphedema therapist in order to find the most appropriate therapy for you. All women who are at risk for lymphedema or who have mild to moderate lymphedema should, at a minimum, wear their sleeve and gauntlet during air travel and while exercising.
risk reduction Guidelines for reducing the risk of lymphedema for those who have had lymph node removal and/or radiation
K e e p A H e a lt y D i e t Maintaining a healthy weight lowers the risk for developing lymphedema. Lower sodium intake.
keep skin protected Use pH balanced lotions and soaps. Protect hands with gloves when cleaning.
av o i d m u s c l e s t r a i n It is okay to do normal activities & exercise with the affected arm, but don’t overdo it! Consult with you doctor about the level of activity that is right for you.
AVOI D B URNS Protect your arm from sunburn. Use oven mitts when cooking & avoid splash burns from steaming foods. Do not use hot tubs or saunas.
av o i d i n f e c t i o n Have blood drawn & shots given on the unaffected arm. Keep your skin clean and protected from cuts and scratches. Always carry band-aids!
Av o i d r e s t r i c t i v e c l o t h i n g Wearing tight jewelr y on the affected arm or hand will create a tourniquet effect. Blood pressure should be taken on the unaffected arm or thigh when both arms are affected. Carr y briefcases and/or purses on the opposite arm. Do watch for: a full feeling in your arm • a difference in size between the affected and non-affected arm • weakness in your arm or not being able to move it as far • when pressing on the affected arm for twenty seconds, the impression of the finger remains 5
medical a d v i so r s LympheDIVAs works with physicians, physical therapists, nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants to assure our customers that the products we design are medically correct. Our medical advisory team oversees the development of our products and helps us monitor product testing.
H o wa r d A . L e v i n , M . D . Medical School: New York University, 1966 Dr. Levin is the father of the founder of LympheDIVAs, LLC, Rachel Levin Troxell. Following graduation from Medical School, he was trained in Internal Medicine in the Harvard training program at Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Mass. He spent the next four years as a post doctoral fellow in Immunology and Rheumatology at Harvard University and a year at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel as a Fullbright Scholar. In 1972 he then received an appointment as Senior Staff Fellow in the Immunology Department of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Mar yland. From 1976-1988 he practiced Internal Medicine and Rheumatology and ser ved as Medical Director of the 70 physician San Jose Medical Group in San Jose, California. After several years as a medical director for an insurance company he spent 10 years as a management consultant and partner with Milliman, USA, an Actuarial and Management Consulting Company. Dr. Levin is currently vice president and chief medical officer for LympheDIVAs.
Andrea L. Cheville, M.D. Medical School: Har vard Medical School Fellowship: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Dr. Cheville currently is Senior Associate Consultant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, specializing in cancer rehabilitation, lymphedema, and survivorship. Until August 2006, Dr. Cheville directed the Cancer Rehabilitation and Lymphedema Programs at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. A leader in the field of cancer rehabilitation, pain control and symptom management, Dr. Cheville has published papers on cancer rehabilitation and is a nationally recognized 6
expert in this field. Lymphedema is a primar y focus of Dr. Cheville’s research, and she ser ves on the Medical Advisor y Committee of the National Lymphedema Network and is a board member of the Lymphology Association of Nor th America. Dr. Cheville has been recognized in Philadelphia Magazine’s May 2002, 2005, 2006 Top Docs issue, and has been recognized by Best Doctors in America 2005-2006.
J e a n n e tt e Z u c k e r , P h . D . Graduate School: New York University, 2002 Jeannette Zucker holds a clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy from New York University. She received her lymphedema cer tification from Klose Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy in 2002 and started her career at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in 2003. In 2004, Jeannette assisted with the establishment of the lymphedema therapy program at the main campus and as the Lymphedema Clinical Specialist she continues to work on fur ther developing the ser vice to promote the awareness, early diagnosis and risk minimization of lymphedema. She leads the support groups for patients who have, and are at risk, for lymphedema through the Post-Treatment Resource Program. Jeannette received her LANA cer tification in 2005 and was awarded the Susan G. Komen Conference scholarship by the National Lymphedema Network (NLN) in 2006. In 2007, she helped to develop the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Prevention Program for MSKCC and joined the Scientific Committee of the NLN. She continues to serve on the committee and provide lectures at the biennial NLN Conferences. In 2009, Jeannette joined the faculty of the Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy. In 2010 she joined the editorial board of the NLN’s electronic newsletter E-Channel. Her current focus on treatment intervention is edema management regardless of etiology, scar management, and improving facial mobility and skin mobility through manual lymphatic drainage, myofascial release, compression therapy, kinesiotaping and laser therapy.
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new! Peacock sleeve & G auntlet
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stunning i n n o vat i o n s We set out not to just make a pretty sleeve but also one that is more comfortable and improves the managment of lymphedema.
360° stretch g r a d u at e d compression Moisture wicking
aloe vera
fine knit
Allows our garments to stretch as your arm bends and flexes and prevents binding at the elbow. All garments are available in Class 1 (20-30mmHg) and Class 2 (30-40mmHg) compression. Pulls sweat away from the body, cools the arm and is fast drying! A fabric finishing process which adds unscented aloe vera moisturizing micro-capsules for added softness and skin protection. A fine knit construction producing a smooth lightweight surface and replicating a ‘second skin.’
O u r p h i l oso p h y We are dedicated to creating medically correct compression apparel for the savvy breast cancer survivor with lymphedema that will inspire her to feel beautiful, strong and confident. The medical requirements are obvious, but the emotional aspect of healing is important and often ignored. A positive mindset can often lead to a much better physical response.
A fa s h i o n s tat e m e n t We believe that getting the hottest and latest patterns to our customers is important. Our team studies the newest trends in patterns and colors by scouring the runways, attending trendspotting trade shows and sourcing fashion publications. Just like the fashion powerhouses in New York, London, Milan, Paris and Tokyo, we introduce new patterns biannually in the Spring and Autumn. 9
sizing chart length
a
sh or t 3 7 – 4 4 cm r e g u la r 4 3 – 5 6 cm
B
Palm
wrist
C
D mid upper
mid lower Small
Medium
Large
15 – 18.7 cm
19 – 21.9 cm
2 2 – 2 6 cm
1 5 – 19 cm
16.5 – 21.6 cm
1 9 – 2 3 . 5 cm
C. mid lower
17. 8 – 23.2 cm
23.5 – 28.7 cm
2 8 . 9 – 3 4 . 3 cm
D. mid upper
21. 6 – 39.4 cm
27 – 45 cm
3 2 . 4 – 5 0 . 5 cm
A . pa l m B. wrist
How To Measure Have a friend help you to get the most accurate measurements. Relax your arm by resting it on a table, bending it slightly to create a small bend in the elbow. Your arm should not be completely straight, nor fully bent. A . PALM Let your fingers relax, and bring the measuring tape so it’s just under your knuckles. Pull gently so the tape has no slack. Record the measurement. B . WRIS T Hold measuring tape around your wrist, going over the little bone on the outside. Pull tape to the point of gentle tension; there should be no slack, but you should not be pulling so hard that the tape creates an indentation. Record the measurement. C . MI D LOWER Move the measuring tape up your arm so that it goes around the thick par t of your forearm. Use the same amount of gentle tension and record the measurement. D . MI D UPPER Bring the measuring tape to the upper par t of your arm, halfway between your elbow and your armpit. If you have any extra skin here, gather it together as much as possible. You should hold the tape a bit tighter here so that all your skin is encircled evenly. Record the measurement. l e n g t h Measure your arm length from the top of your arm (axilla) to your wrist to determine your sleeve length. If you are in between sizes, please consult a medical professional, professional fitter, lymphedema therapist or LympheDIVAs to ensure proper fit. 10
garment care Caring for your garment is as easy as 1-2-3! Following the care instructions will ensure that your garment lasts the full four to six months while retaining compression.
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Place the garment in a lingerie bag to prevent snagging.
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Machine wash in warm water using a gentle detergent.
3
Machine dry at medium heat.
do not do any of the following Doing any of these can potentially ruin the garment and compromise the compression. hand wash • wring dr y • line dr y • dr y clean • use any chemical solvent, fabric softener, bleach or any other laundry additive
garment donning Turn down the top of the sleeve so it’s folded over itself.
Pull the sleeve over your hand until the end of the sleeve is at the pictured position on the wrist.
Gently pull the rest of the sleeve evenly up over the arm to the armpit. Make sure the sleeve is equally spread over the whole arm and that there are no constrictions or wrinkles.
T o r e m o v e s l e e v e , hold the top of the cuff and pull down until it slips off your hand. 11
so l i d c o l o r s bei chi c
f u chs i a
m o cha
ony x
w hi te
12
c ry s ta l s
swirl & ribbon available on any solid color
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new! currents sleeve & G auntlet
14
geometric A nna gray
dam ask
dama s k bei chic
dam ask fuchsia
dama s k mocha
d iva d o t s
s a pphi re
st e l l a charcoal
s t e lla navy
war r io r blue
warri or purple
war r io r seafoam green
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giving back Sales for items below contribute to Young Survival Coalition, Living Beyond Breast Cancer and the Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer (C4YW). Sales for the items on the facing page contribute to Crickett’s Answer for Cancer. c4 y w bei ge
c4 y w pi nk
i n k ed
gra nd Krewe
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V e r sail l e s
giving back l iz la nge
cos mos
i n ters tel lar
s ta rburst
s upernova
17
Marakesh sleeve & G auntlet
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Pa i s l e y bl ack pa isley
B l u e Ba nd it
N a m a s te
P urple Paisley
W hi te Vercache al so ava il a b l e in Ve r c a c he
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n e w ! s ta r r y n i g h t sleeve & G auntlet
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n e w ! G r e at Wav e sleeve & G auntlet
21
floral ba li night
b al i sand
ba li sunset
b l o o m in ’ b e t t y light
m o onli ght
chloe
n irvan a
nouv ea u
pr im ro se
22
b l o o m i n ’ b e tt y d a r k sleeve & Gauntlet
23
sweet pea sleeve & G auntlet
24
floral rom a nti c rose
s ca rlet
tattoo bl ossom
t r a nqui li t y
za ha ra
25
t a t t oo bodhi bei ge al so avail abl e in Moc ha
l o tus dragon tat t oo
s outh pac ific
V i va Vi da
w ra pture
26
new! dahlia sleeve & Gauntlet
27
lace Da rli ng Dark
Da rli ng fair
l ovely lac e
m idni ght lace
s ha dow
28
dA r l i n g Ta n sleeve & G auntlet
29
abstract butterfly meadow
c am o u f l ag e
C a m ouflage pink
d e n im d iva
f irefly blue
f ir e f ly gray & yellow
f irefly purple
f ir e f ly seafoam green
l u na
n e o n g l ow
s pi ce
su n b u r st
30
n e w ! fa c e t s sleeve & Gauntlet
31
into the wild f e atheri e
l e o leopard
s erpenti n e
s tay i n t o u c h sign up for our mailing list: l ym p h e d i va s .co m / m a i l i n g l i st . a sp like us on facebook : fa ce b o o k .co m / l ym p h e d i va s follow us on twitter: t w i t t e r.co m / l ym p h e d i va s find us on tumblr : lymph e d i va s .t u m b l r.co m
special thank you We couldn’t h av e done thi s ca t a l o g w i t h o u t o u r a m a zi n g m o d e l s, t h e se l ov e l y l a d i e s a r e breas t cance r sur vivo r s a n d r e a l - l i fe d i va s . M a ny t h an k s t o L i n d a , L a u r i e M . , Pa ula, Laur ie R ., Jeanette, Bo n n i e , O l a d e , a n d Ra ch e l . S p e c i a l sh o u t - o u t t o J e ss- Et Mi a Boutique, S p ringside Pa r k G r e e n h o u s e a n d 1Be r k s h i r e f o r l e t t i n g u s sh o o t i n th e ir beaut iful space s!
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new! peacock sleeve & G auntlet
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new! irises sleeve & Gauntlet
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index desi gn na me
pag e
design name
pa g e
Anna gray
15
leo leopard
32
bali night
22
liz lange
17
bali sand
22
lotus dragon tattoo
26
bali sunset
23
lovely lace
28
bei chic
12
luna
30
black paisley
19
marakesh
18
bloomin’ betty dark
23
midnight lace
28
bloomin’ betty light
22
mocha
12
blue bandit
19
moonlight
22
bodhi beige
26
namaste
19
butterfly meadow
30
neon glow
30
c4 yw beige
16
nirvana
22
c4 yw pink
16
nouveau
22
camouflage
30
ony x
camouflage pink
30
peacock
chloe
22
primrose
22
cosmos
17
purple paisley
19
crystal ribbon
13
romantic rose
25
crystal swirl
13
sapphire
15
currents n e w !
14
scarlet
25
dahlia new !
27
serpentine
32
damask
15
shadow
28
damask bei chic
15
south pacific
26
damask fuchsia
15
spice
30
damask mocha
15
starburst
17
darling dark
28
starry night ne w!
20
darling fair
28
stella charcoal
15
darling tan
29
stella navy
15
denim diva
30
sunburst
30
diva dots
15
supernova
17
cover , 3 1
sweet pea
24
facets new !
12 8, 33
featherie
32
tattoo blossom
25
firefly blue
30
tran q uility
25
firefly gray & yellow
30
versailles
16
Firefly purple
30
viva vida
26
Firefly Seafoam Green
30
warrior blue
15
fuchsia
12
warrior purple
15
grand krewe
16
warrior seafoam green
15
great wave ne w !
21
white
12
inked
16
wrapture
26
interstellar
17
white vercache
19
irises new!
34
zahara
25
35
fin d a s tor e n ear you: lymphedivas . com/ store -locator
t: 86 6- 41 1-3 48 2 f: 413 -4 1 8 -3 4 54 w: lymphedivas .com
7 north street suite 2 0 5 pittsfield, ma 0 1 2 0 1