Our Mission
Is to empower individuals battling primary lymphedema by providing essential support through specific shoes and garments. We are committed to enhancing their quality of life, promoting awareness, and fostering a community of strength and resilience.
Lymphedema is...
Lymphedema is a chronic disease characterized by the accumulation of lymphatic fluid in certain parts of the body, typically in the limbs, due to a compromised lymphatic system.
Jo's Story
In April of 2022 my 6 year old daughter’s leg mysteriously swelled up. We thought maybe she injured it somehow in dance class so we took her to several doctors who could not find an injury. They sent us to the Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas where we stayed for several days while they ran tests. They released us with no answers or explanations of why her leg had all of a sudden swelled up. Through late spring and early summer, we continued to see different doctors who still could not provide answers. We finally saw a cardiologist who sent us to Children’s Hospital in Dallas. In August, we were finally given the diagnosis of Primary Lymphedema. This took 5 months and many doctor visits to finally give us the answer as to why one of Jo’s legs was literally twice the size of her other leg. However, it did not provide the answer as to why this happened. In fact, we still do not know the answer to this question.
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Because of this, Jo, and other children whose leg or foot is impacted with lymphedema, struggle to wear proper fitting shoes. They have to buy two pairs of shoes in different sizes to make one pair of shoes. And they have to be a specific shoe to fit over the affected foot. Jo was in a medical shoe for over a year for this reason.
This is what birthed Jo Rising. In the beginning of this journey we were told “wait and see'' many times by the doctors. We decided that “wait and see” is NOT an option. Jo, and people like her, need help now.
Our first goal at Jo Rising is to raise awareness of Lymphedema in the medical community. Many doctors do not know about this condition! We have to travel to Dallas just to see a physical therapist because we do not have one in our area who is certified to give Jo what she needs. We are now traveling to Philadelphia in hopes of the medical team there can provide more answers and treatment options for Jo.
Jo Rising’s mission is to help provide shoes for the children impacted by Lymphedema. Children and their parents should not have to worry about having proper footwear. In fact, we have already provided help for 4 of our new friends in the short time of Jo Rising’s existence. With the help of our community, we are excited to continue to help these children and their families.
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