Professor Peter Mortimer
P rofessor Peter Mortimer trained in Dermatology at Sheffield and Oxford. He was appointed consultant skin physician to St George’s Hospital, and to the Royal Marsden Hospital, London in 1986 and has been Professor of Dermatological Medicine to the University of London since 2000.
Interest in lymphatics began in Oxford where he undertook his thesis on ‘the measurement of skin lymph flow’. He has developed the emerging area of Lymphovascular Medicine, which is devoted to the clinical consequences of lymphatic dysfunction (chronic oedema, lymphoedema, tissue immunodeficiency, and recurrent infection, and altered fat homeostasis). His research has focused on breast cancer related lymphoedema, the genetic basis of primary lymphoedema, recurrent cellulitis, and lipoedema as well as melanoma spread by lymphatics. He has over 260 publications cited on PubMed.
He has been Chief Investigator on research grants from The Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council (MRC), British Heart Foundation, and Cancer Research UK. Particular success has come with the discovery of 8 causal genes for lymphoedema by his group. This translational approach has changed the way primary lymphoedema is diagnosed and managed. In 2017 he was awarded a £2.5 million programme grant from the Medical Research Council to improve the understanding of causal mechanisms and underlying gene mutations in primary lymphoedema and lymphatic malformations.
His clinical practice deals almost entirely with chronic oedema, lymphoedema, lymphatic malformations, lymph-related disorders, and lipoedema. He sits on the scientific and medical advisory committee for the main international organisation, the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (USA). He is the founder and Chief Medical Officer to the Lymphoedema Support Network, the UK patients’ national charity. He is the founder and Patron of the national body for healthcare professionals, the British Lymphology Society.
TRISHA GODDARD
Trisha Goddard joined the BLS as a patron in 2020. Trisha developed lymphoedema in her arm after undergoing treatment for breast cancer in 2008, and many fans saw her wearing compression sleeves to match her costumes during her time on Dancing on Ice.
In 2020, Trisha joined us to launch the BLS’s biggest ever awareness campaign, #EveryBodyCan for Lymphoedema Awareness Week and said 'I’m so glad to be supporting the BLS and their EveryBodyCan campaign. I’ve kept active throughout my cancer and lymphoedema treatments and I can positively say that it has made all the difference to my mental and physical health. I make sure I wear my compression sleeve when doing anything that will impact my left arm like carrying heavy shopping, weight-training, and air travel."
Many will know Trisha from her chat show in the UK which aired from 1998 to 2010 on ITV, then Channel 5. Now, Trisha presents a weekly radio show “The Week with Trisha” on Saturdays from 1 pm to 3 pm and she returned to our screens in 2021 to present You Are What You Eat on Channel 5.
Trisha spends her time between the UK and the USA and you can keep up with her on Instagram @therealtrishagoddard.
Professor KRISTIANA GORDON
P rofessor Gordon joined the lymphoedema team at St George’s University Hospital in London in 2006 and now leads the service. She is actively engaged in research and is well-published in journals and book chapters. She first became involved with BLS in 2008. Since then, she has become a well-known face as a BLS conference presenter and has been actively involved with the Society as a member of the Scientific Committee and has represented the Society at various meetings and events.
Since qualifying as a doctor at St George’s University of London in 2001, Dr Gordon’s clinical work has been based in St George’s University Hospital, where she completed Specialist Training in Dermatology. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and has a Medical Research Doctorate in Lymphoedema & Genetics.
She was appointed as an Associate Professor/ Reader in Dermatology & Lymphovascular Medicine by the University of London in 2019. She is, rather unusually, also trained as a lymphoedema therapist (Foeldi Clinic) and supports other key organisations, being a Medical Advisor for the Lymphoedema Support Network (LSN) and Noonan Syndrome Association, and a co-patron of LipoedemaUK. She is also Vice President of the International Lipoedema Association.
Professor Vaughan Keeley
Professor Keeley is well-known to BLS members. He has been a loyal member and supporter of BLS for over 25 years, attending almost all the annual conferences and presenting at many of these. He has also supported the development of several BLS documents and chairs the joint BLS/LSN Cellulitis Consensus group. His contribution to advancing clinical practice and research in lymphoedema is immense, including many papers, book chapters, and presentations at international conferences, making him highly regarded in the international lymphoedema community. His contribution to lymphoedema was recognised with a British Lymphology Society Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. We are so pleased that he will now be a Patron of the BLS Charity, helping us to strengthen our impact on lymphoedema treatment, care, and understanding.
Prof Keeley’s Career In Brief -
Qualifying in 1977, having trained in both Cambridge and London, young Dr Keeley worked in London before returning to Cambridge to undertake research in physiology, gaining a PhD. He then returned to clinical medicine, training as a GP in Cambridge, becoming a principal in general practice until focusing on palliative medicine. In 1989 he became a consultant in palliative medicine at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary. In 2017 he was appointed as an honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham Medical School.
His Lymphoedema Career began soon after his move to palliative medicine when it became clear that there was a lack of service provision for people with lymphoedema. His interest led to involvement in the original UK lymphoedema framework project, being a member of the international advisory board for the Best Practice document for the Management of Lymphoedema produced in 2006 and a member of the International Lymphoedema Framework board (2008-18) and chairing the ILF scientific committee.
Professor Keeley has supported other key organisations playing a vital role in improving care for people with both lymphoedema and lipoedema, providing medical advice to the LSN and more recently, Lipoedema UK.
Our Working Groups
To address specific short-term projects, BLS brings together working groups with agreed Terms of Reference, aims and a work plan. BLS members with a keen interest in contributing to the project may request to join the group.
Our Scientific Commitee
The scientific committee includes doctors, therapists, academics and researchers all with a keen interest in research. It comprises full and honorary members.
Our Patrons
The British Lymphology Society (BLS) are delighted to have two very supportive patrons - Professor Peter Mortimer, Founder of the BLS & Trisha Goddard, TV Personality.
Our Members
BLS membership is multi professional, comprising nurses, physiotherapists, doctors, occupational therapists, manual lymphatic drainage therapists, others with an interest in lymphoedema including its treatment and corporate partners
Our Regional Representatives
Regional Representatives are members of BLS who undertake to facilitate networking of members in their area. They are key advocates of the Society who make a valuable contribution to enhancement of communication and liaison between local members.
Support Us
As a Charity donations and fundraising are vital to support our work; there are many ways to help us to make a difference for people with lymphoedema.
Our Trustees
Our Trustees are BLS members, elected and supported by members to work on their behalf and ensure the legal and governance requirements as a registered charity are met.
