A grant of nearly £14,000 has helped Forest Holme Hospice in Poole secure specialist therapy equipment for cancer patients with lymphoedema that is believed to be the first of its kind in Dorset. 

The money, which was awarded by the Morrisons Foundation, has helped fund a new piece of equipment made by Thor Laser to administer a treatment known as Photobiomodulation, which applies light to tissues to reduce inflammation and improve healing.

While Forest Holme’s Lymphoedema Service already has a Photobiomodulation device, the latest version is shaped like a lollipop, making it much more versatile, which means that it can be used not just in the mouth but on other parts of body such as under arms, around ears and breasts.

Lymphoedema is a long-term condition that causes swelling in the body's tissues. It can affect any part of the body, but usually develops in the arms or legs.

It develops when the lymphatic system does not work properly. The lymphatic system is a network of channels and glands throughout the body that helps fight infection and remove excess fluid.

The treatment is totally safe, with each session lasting about 20 minutes, and Forest Holme has begun using it on their lymphoedema patients with a particular focus on those who have had head and neck cancer, especially as it can help post-surgery lymphoedema and reduce the effects of radiotherapy damage.

Belinda Knott, Senior Lymphoedema Nurse Specialist, based at Forest Holme, said, “This equipment will make a huge difference to the lives of cancer patients in Dorset as it will help reduce some of the side-effects following cancer treatment. From a patient’s perspective, it would make an incredibly difficult time far more comfortable and pleasant.”