2026 SPEAKERS

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Consultant Dermatologist and Lymphoedema Specialist
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London

Dr Bernard Ho is a Consultant Dermatologist and Lymphoedema Specialist at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London. He is the co-lead for the lymphoedema service at St George’s hospital. A passionate advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, Dr Ho chairs the British Association of Dermatologists’ Skin Diversity Subcommittee and is the Chair of the LGBTQ+ Staff Network at St George’s. He is a recipient of scholarships and prizes from World Congress of Dermatology, European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, British Association of Dermatologists, and the Royal Society of Medicine. His leadership roles include Senior Honorary Secretary of the Royal Society of Medicine Dermatology Section and Co-Secretary for Psychodermatology UK.

National Research and Innovation Lymphoedema Specialist
Lymphoedema Wales

Garry Cooper is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in lymphoedema and a Queen’s Nurse, recognised by the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing for his outstanding contributions to primary care. He holds a PhD exploring the experiences of men living with non-cancer-related lymphoedema, with a focus on self-management, identity and support needs. Garry brings a rich background spanning clinical practice, higher education and research. As a former Associate Dean at the University of Central Lancashire, he led the School of Nursing and Midwifery’s continuing professional development and postgraduate education portfolio, as well as quality assurance initiatives. He currently serves as Research and Innovation Specialist with the Lymphoedema Wales Clinical Network, where he leads service evaluation and research projects on topics including lipalgia (lipoedema) and patient experience. Garry also sits on the Scientific Committee of the British Lymphology Society, contributing to national work to advance evidence-based, high-quality lymphoedema care.

Director and Founder
The Lymphoedema Training Academy (LTA)

Jane Wigg is a multi-award winning nurse consultant, who has been working in the field of lymphatics for over 25 years. She is an innovator, publisher, author and educator of lymphology. Jane provides clinical services in the UK through Near Infrared Lymphofluoroscopy imaging clinics operated by LymphVision. She is also the Director and founder of the Lymphoedema Training Academy, which offers full certification in lym

Board Member Lipoedema UK & Lipedema World Alliance
Lipoedema UK

Kate brings over 14 years of experience as a Charity Director and Trustee, combined with a professional background in Human Resources and business operations, primarily within medical devices and pharmaceutical research. She is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. In addition to her other Board roles, Kate has been a Trustee at Lipoedema UK since 2016 and was a founding member of the Lipedema World Alliance in 2022. Kate is also a qualified aqua exercise instructor, with training in a variety of techniques, including group classes, aqua stretch, aqua kriya yoga and aqua pilates. Passionate about using her governance and business leadership skills, Kate works to raise awareness of lipoedema and collaborates with healthcare professionals and researchers in the field. She firmly believes that this collaboration is key to delivering improved outcomes, under the motto ‘Working Together We Can Make A Change’ or #TogetherWeCanBeatLipoedema.

Co-Chair of the British Lymphology Society and Clinical Lead for Lymphoedema and Tissue Viability
Royal Surrey Foundation Trust

Co-Chair of the British Lymphology Society and Clinical Lead for Lymphoedema and Tissue Viability, Royal Surrey Foundation Trust -Lorraine is the Co-Chair of the British Lymphology Society (BLS), a voluntary Trustee role for the charity. She joined the BLS as a Trustee in 2018. In addition to her work with the society, Lorraine works in the NHS as the Clinical Lead for Lymphoedema and Tissue Viability community services at the Royal Surrey Foundation Trust.

Founder and Managing Director/ Author
Lymphoedema United

Following a severe episode of cellulitis in June 2011, Matt Hazledine was diagnosed with lymphoedema in his left leg. Since then, Matt has explored nearly every available product, therapy, and surgery to manage the condition. Drawing on his extensive experience, Matt launched LymphoedemaUnited.com in 2021—a one-stop, patient-focused website. He also authored How to Live Better with Lymphoedema – Meet the Experts, a book that combines his personal challenges and solutions with trusted insights from over 20 lymphoedema specialists. Matt organises an annual charity golf day for golfers affected by lymphoedema, bringing people together from across the country while raising funds for the cause. His latest initiative, ‘Unite the Lymphoedema Community’, involves organising regional meet-ups to help people connect, share experiences, and form supportive local friendship groups. You can follow Matt on social media @LymphUnited and watch interviews and expert discussions on the LymphUnited YouTube Channel.