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Laura is a forty-two-year old beauty therapy business owner and mother from Mackay, Queensland, who says her weight had been a constant battle for her since puberty. Despite competing in swimming and netball, Laura spent most of her teens on some form of a diet, including Weight Watchers, where she was weighed in front of a room full of people on a weekly basis as a teenager. “I can still remember those horrible scales at the front of the room…It was so traumatic.” Laura has now made it her mission in life to raise awareness of Lipoedema to stop other women having to endure such emotional pain. “Lipoedema needs to be talked about within the medical field so that more women can learn what they can do to help themselves.”
Following Laura’s Lipoedema diagnosis in 2020, Laura was inspired to become a qualified Lymphoedema clinician to assist people in her area through her business. As well as providing Pneumatic compression Pump (Lympha Press) treatments, Laura can also assist patients to access compression garments. “I know what it’s like to live with these conditions - making changes and using a whole-body approach is such an important part of the treatment process, my aim is to help and support other people going through this.” Laura has also created a Facebook group for women with Lipoedema, where they can feel safe to collaborate with other women in the same situation as them.
Laura says raising awareness of Lipoedema is vital so that others do not have to endure years of psychological distress. Dismissed by doctors for decades, Laura is now determined to share her story in a positive way. “I want to show my daughter what life can be like. Even though life throws us curve balls, I want to be fit and healthy and encourage my daughter and others to seek the help they need.”
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