Lymphatic Education & Research Network Announces Receipt of NY State Grant

New York, NY – Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN) announced today that it would receive two grants totaling $200,000 as part of the New York State FY2015 budget. The New York State Senate and Assembly each awarded $100,000. State Senator Martin Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn) and State Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D-WF, Manhattan) sponsored the funding requests in their respective chambers. Funds will support the growth of LE&RN's National Lymphatic Disease Patient Registry and Tissue Bank.

Senator Martin Golden stated, "I am proud to be among the leading advocates in New York State of the efforts to increase funding for research and awareness to fight Lymphedema. This year, New York State has further invested funding to support LE&RN's National Lymphatic Disease Patient Registry and Tissue Bank, so that we can continue to protect the health and well-being of our citizens."

“Lymphedema affects millions of people across the country, yet funding to support research and education has not kept pace with this debilitating condition,” said Assemblymember Rosenthal. “This funding will help produce ground-breaking research into better treatments and ultimately a cure. I was proud to have partnered closely with LE&RN and Bill Repicci to champion this cause.”

“New York State is playing a key role in the fight against these diseases,” said William Repicci, LE&RN’s Executive Director. “With hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and millions of Americans suffering from lymphedema, research needs to be a national priority. By funding LE&RN’s programs, researchers will have the tools required to discover tomorrow’s breakthroughs.”

The National Lymphatic Disease Patient Registry and Tissue Bank continually builds upon its population of patients with associated biological materials (blood and tissue samples) that serve as a source for clinical and laboratory studies of lymphatic diseases. The database is confidential, containing information about individuals who carry the diagnosis of a lymphatic disease or lymphedema, allowing health care professionals to work towards accurately identifying, categorizing, treating, and preventing lymphatic diseases.

“Senator Golden and Assemblymember Rosenthal have emerged as true champions of this cause,” says Repicci. “New York State’s efforts to expand research resources is a significant milestone for LE&RN, and the patients it is committed to help.”

About LE&RN

Founded in 1998, the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (formerly LRF) is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization whose mission is to fight lymphatic disease and lymphedema through education, research and advocacy. LE&RN provides valuable education resources for the millions of people who suffer from lymphedema and lymphatic disease. LE&RN fosters and supports research that can deepen the medical community's understanding of the lymphatic system. For more information about lymphatic disease or the Lymphatic Education & Research Network, please visit www.LymphaticNetwork.org, and join us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or call (516) 625-9675.