Meet the Training Team

Jane Wigg (RGN MSc) As a student nurse back in 1986, Jane was inspired by Sr. Margaret Rodgers, who became the first Breast Care Nurse at Walsall Manor hospital. This led her to strive to become a Clinical Nurse Specialist in 1994 where she found her way into lymphology. It has been a passion since, knowing that there are always better ways to do things and striving for better outcomes. She quickly became one of the first clinics in the UK and moved her direction into the Wolverhampton Lymphoedema Service. Jane has always had a passion for training and coincidentally LTA is renowned for being one of the most innovative Lymphatic Training Academies internationally and with the introduction of ICG imaging in the UK, she is one of a few in the world leading in this technique. In 2014 Jane commenced Lymphatic Imaging Clinics across the UK, offering patients and therapists a more in-depth analysis and diagnosis. In turn improving the quality of treatment outcomes and patient care. As a Lymphoedema Nurse Specialist, Jane has presented at conferences, symposiums, and congresses in many countries across the globe and has written numerous research papers and articles on the emerging ICG imaging. Professional Profile: Founder, Director & Lead Trainer of Lymphoedema Training Academy Ltd (LTA) Founder, Director & Clinical Nurse Consultant of LymphVision Ltd Founder & Director of LTA:NL foundation (Netherlands) Training divisions of LTA in Australia, China, India, Singapore, South Africa

Stacy Pugh Stacy qualified as a nurse in 2004 and spent 2 years working on the hospice inpatient unit where she developed an interest in lymphoedema when an opportunity for training to become a Leduc MLD therapist arose in 2005. After completing the course successfully her passion for lymphoedema had been ignited and she was lucky enough to gain a secondment at Wolverhampton Lymphoedema Service where she had the privilege of working alongside Jane Wigg for almost 3 years. She has been assisting Jane with training for several years and is currently the module leader for the Lymphoedema degree at the University of Wolverhampton whilst also studying towards her lymphoedema masters with the university.

Kris-Jones-e1434530947913-1-e15192936489

Kris Jones Joint Founder and Director LymphCare UK and Nurse Advisor/Trustee for Lipoedema UK RGN, ENB 931, ENB N34, Post Graduate Diploma in Lymphoedema Practice. Kris has been involved in lymphoedema management since 1998 working six years at Wolverhampton Lymphoedema Service then moving on to jointly establish the Dudley Lymphoedema Service. In 2011 Kris was jointly responsible for leading the team through the DOHs Right to Request process to be the first standalone lymphoedema service to become a Social Enterprise. LymphCare UK Community Interest Company went on to win the British Journal of Nursing Award in March 2012, BLS innovation in Practice award 2016, BLS Raising awareness award 2017 and BLS award campaigning for better services 2017. Kris is passionate about raising awareness of lymphoedema and lipoedema and is proud to be one of the Nurse advisors for Lipoedema UK. Kris is proud to be a senior trainer for Lymphoedema Training Academy and a visiting Lecturer for Lymphoedema management at Birmingham City University. She also has a special interest in Bra fitting and runs LymphCares Bra by Appointment service.

Natalie Phillips Natalie has been nursing for the past 10 years and developed a specialist interest in the management of lymphoedema as a community nurse. She went on to work at Wolverhampton Lymphoedema service where she developed her skills and passion for treating patients with lymphoedema and for delivering training to individuals with a specialist interest in Lymphoedema management. In her current role, she continues to advise clinicians and provides training as part of Haddenham Health Care (HHC) and often delivers training at Wolverhampton University and The Lymphoedema Training Academy. Natalie has recently completed her MSc in Lymphoedema Care at Wolverhampton University and continues her clinical Practice at LymphCare UK to maintain her skills and provide care to patients.

Kerry Sant Kerry Sant is a lymphoedema specialist with over 20 years’ experience working in the clinical practice of lymphoedema management. She has an MSc in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation specialising in the late effects of cancer treatment and has trained in Vodder, Leduc and FG-MLD methods of manual lymphatic drainage. She was the senior lymphoedema practitioner in the oncology department at the Royal United Hospital NHS foundation trust in Bath for many years before starting her own business – Flow lymph care. Kerry is also a qualified Restore scar therapist and Anita care consultant, fitting specialist bras pre and post-surgery.

Karen Cooper Karen Cooper has been working as a private Manual Lymph Drainage practitioner in her clinic in Malvern in Worcestershire for over 25 years. She works full time managing all forms of Lymphoedema, Lipoedema, wound care and pain including all post surgical MLD & recovery care. Trained in the Fill & Flush (FG-MLD) and Dr. Vodder method of MLD, accompanying modalities of treatment include photobiomodulation, deep oscillation, ultrasound therapy, multilayer compression bandaging and kinesiotaping. She’s also qualified in Remedial & Sports Massage, Bowen Therapy and Colon Hydrotherapy. When she’s not in her busy clinic she’s usually found on or in the ocean sailing or scuba/cave diving! It’s all about feeling the freedom & flow of water….!

Cheryl White Cheryl attended Queen Elizabeth School of Physiotherapy and qualified as a Physiotherapist in 1990. An opportunity arose in 1998 to work at Christie Hospital, Manchester as a Macmillan Lymphoedema Specialist/Surgical Physiotherapist and Cheryl held this post for nearly 9 years. Here she completed her Specialist Lymphoedema training at Kings College, London with Eunice Jeffs and in the Casley Smith method of MLD at Wrexham with Eilish Lund. Due to family relocation, Cheryl worked as a Macmillan Specialist Physiotherapist setting up rehabilitation services for patients with complex cancer needs in Central Cheshire and then returned to the field of Lymphology when she assisted at Compton Hospice, Wolverhampton. It was at this time that Cheryl trained in the Leduc Method of Medical Lymphatic Drainage, working with Jane Wigg. In 2011, Cheryl moved to her current post as Macmillan Lymphoedema Specialist at St Luke’s Hospice, Winsford, Cheshire. Cheryl regularly assists with training for Lymphoedema Training Academy and Haddenham Healthcare. She has also been a committee member for the British Lymphology Society and has been the Editor of the BLS newsletter for many years. She is also a casual trainer for Macmillan Cancer Support. Twitter/ Cheryl White (@CherylW33606899)

Aaron Knowles

Julie Stanton

Joanne Paton Joanne has worked as an HCA at Compton Hospice Wolverhampton for the last 20 years and for the past 9 years of these, she has worked in the Lymphoedema Clinic within the Hospice. Joanne was one of the first people to qualify in the MLD technique “Fill and flush” at Janes’ LTA in 2016 Since qualifying as a MLD therapist her main job is delivering MLD treatment within the Wolverhampton lymphoedema clinic. This has inspired Joanne to work alongside Jane as a trainer as she has seen first-hand the improvement it makes to patients’ lives . Joanne likes to keep fit in her spare time and in her earlier years she used to run the 100m for the county. She now spends more of her time crocheting and has swapped running with walking in the countryside.

Professor Jean-Paul Belgrado Jean-Paul Belgrado, Professor, MSc, PhD, has extensive clinical experience in the Physiology, pathophysiology, and innovative physical treatment of lymphoedema. From 2009, his contribution of research, knowledge and skills have contributed to firmly secure the usefulness of near infrared lymphofluoroscopy imaging in the study, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of lymphoedema. He is author of numerous publications, patents, and international presentations, and has been working for 35 years as a Researcher, Inventor and teacher in the field of lymphology. He is visiting Professor of different universities and collaborates with clinical centres specialised in lymphedema diagnosis and treatment. He is initiator and co-founder of public health lymphedema treatment projects. He is co-founder and President of the Scientific Committee of BeLymph (Belgian branch of ILF) He is Honorary Member of the Czech Society of Lymphology and member of the International Society of Lymphology.

Professor Vaughan Keeley Vaughan Keeley, Prof, PhD, FRCP is a Consultant Physician who specialises in lymphoedema. He leads the lymphoedema service in Derby, Nottingham and Mansfield, in the East Midlands of the UK. The service treats all types of lymphoedema / chronic oedema in adults and children. In 2020, the service was designated as a “Comprehensive Centre of Excellence for Lymphatic Diseases” by LE&RN (the Lymphatic Education and Research Network). His research interests include the early detection and possible prevention of Lymphoedema in Breast Cancer and quality of life in Lymphoedema He is an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham Medical School.

LTA Singapore

Veronica Yapp Veronica is the director and founder of Masso Institute. She has been a medical healthcare specialist since 1997 , and is certified in a number of notable areas associated with Lymphatic Disorders, her speciality. In 2006, Veronica graduated as a Dr. Vodder Manual Lymph Drainage & Combined Decongestive Therapist with the highest qualifications and a Distinction. From that point on, she decided to specialise in Lymphoedema Therapy. Most of her patients today are cancer survivors dealing with the post-treatment complications of developing lymphoedema. Many more struggle with genetic-related dysfunctions in their lymphatic systems. In September 2009, she took advanced studies in Medical Lymph Drainage techniques under Leduc U.K., further enhancing her abilities in handling complex lymphology cases. She’s also been a member of the International Society of Lymphology since 2009. Often seen at Lymphology conferences and visiting great lectures around the world, she works hard to extend her knowledge, and keep constantly updated on the latest research. In 2011, she broadened her expertise by becoming a Certified Level-3 Kinesiotaping therapist from the KTAI (Kinesio Taping Association International). By using Kinesiotaping and support/compression garments, she’s found she can provide additional and better support for her patients. In 2015, Veronica became a Fluoroscopy Guided MLD Therapist, graduating from the Lymphoedema Training Academy in the U.K. (taken from the work of the esteemed Professor Jean Paul Belgrado). Her clinic is now fully certified; all her therapists are now qualified in this advanced level of Manual Lymph Drainage, becoming the first specialist clinic in Singapore and the asian region to achieve this.