My Interview With Conversationaly: Thriving With Lymphedema

Allow me to introduce you to two beautiful ladies who graciously invited me to be a guest on their Instagram IGTV channel and become part of their #ThursdayThriver program. For the purposes of this post, the original IGTV videos from ConversationlyTWL: The Interview Series Vol. 5 Pt 1 & 2 were combined for the Lymphie Strong YouTube channel by Bisa Dobson, RMT. All rights reserved. She also did all of the closed captioning.

We thank her tremendously for putting them together, and I was thrilled and honored to be interviewed by them both. I love their page and what they are doing to spread education and awareness for lymphedema from Canada. They are very thoughtful, compassionate, and kind. I hope to meet with them again very soon.

Bisa Dobson RMT, CDT, is passionate about helping others to get the information, tools and support they need to live life at their best.

Diagnosed with Lymphedema praecox in 2010, Bisa knows first-hand the importance of getting a proper diagnosis and the right care when it comes to managing Lymphedema. In fact, it was her own experience of having to work hard to learn how to self-manage her symptoms – with the help of the excellent care she received from her Lymphedema therapist and compression garment fitter – that compelled her to study to Combined Decongestive Therapy.

As a therapist her main goal is to pay it forward, by offering her patients the same quality of care she received after being diagnosed. Over the course of her 20-year career, she has earned a reputation for helping her patients feel: more knowledgeable about treatment protocols; more confident about their ability to manage their symptoms between treatments; and perhaps most importantly, more in control of their overall health and well-being.

When Bisa is not seeing patient’s in her growing practice in downtown Toronto, she is likely to be found working alongside her friend and fellow lymphie, Deborah, on their latest passion project, CONVERSATIONLY: Thriving With Lymphedema.

Deborah Peniuk was diagnosed with Stage 3 Triple Negative Breast Cancer in 2015 and subsequently with Secondary Lymphedema in 2016 in her breast/arm and back. Owner of a health and wellness-focused niche travel company AYA LIFE, she is also a speaker, writer, Certified Laughter Yoga Leader, with multiple positions on the following Non-Profits and Charities; the Fundraising/Sponsorship and Social Committee for Dragons Abreast Toronto, Volunteer Committee/Social Media for the Lymphedema Association of Ontario, an Ambassador for After Breast Cancer Charity, Workshop Facilitator at Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto and soon to be Podcaster with Life, Bliss, and All of This.

She has also volunteered with the Ana Ono/Project Cancerland Fashion Show during NYFW for it’s 2^nd and 4^th showing and just this past January started a new project with a fellow Lymphie to create CONVERSATIONLY: Thriving with Lymphedema, hosting workshops and having a new Thriver being featured every Thursday and interviews with Lymphies and their support person(s). Being an avid traveler, she is able to reach those she has connected with via Social Media in her travels as well as connecting and offering her services and expertise to those abroad. A goal to create new Breast Cancer retreats for those ladies 40+ in a few underserviced countries will take place in 2021 and 2022 with Colombia, Scotland and Portugal on the top of the list.

Giving back and being of service is key for her to not only stay active and present, she knows it helps those who might feel unrepresented or uninspired during their own personal experiences living with this disease. Living in the moment definitely gives purpose and meaning to life and she is always willing to try and assist however she can!

The Interview Series Vol. 5 Pt 1 & 2

“Happy Sunday, everyone! @bisadobsonrmt & @traveliciousdee are back with another interview, and today’s edition features Veronica Seneriz, a champion advocate, whose platform @lymphiestrong offers much needed support to thousands on #lymphies in 166 countries. In this video, in addition to opening about: what it was like to grow up in a family affected by a multigenerational genetic form of #Lymphedema; her initial struggle to accept her ‘new normal’ after being diagnosed; and what she did to move through the anger and disappointment she felt for years, because of being denied proper treatment and patient education by healthcare professionals.

In Part 2 of our interview with Veronica of @lymphiestrong and in today’s episode, in addition to telling @traveliciousdee and @bisadobsonrmt all about what her journey with #Lymphedema has taught her about herself and what she’s planning to do to grow her brand, she also reveals something that has recently popped up on her radar, that has made her very hopeful about the treatment of her Lymphedema symptoms – for the FIRST TIME ever‼️ #exclusive As per usual, if you enjoy this video (and we really hope you do!) please like and share, to help us spread the word. Thank YOU!!”