Monique Bareham announced SA's Local Hero after tireless work for people with lymphoedema - ABC Local

A woman with lymphoedema who worked to reduce the cost of a critical medical item for others like herself has been named South Australia's 2022 Local Hero. 

Key points:

• Monique Bareham has been awarded after successfully lobbying for a compression garment subsidy
• People living with lymphoedema were otherwise spending up to $2,000 to buy the critical medical items
• Ms Bareham is now in the running for the Australian of the Year Local Hero award

Adelaide's Monique Bareham, 50, was on Thursday night handed the honour at the SA Australian of the Year Awards after successfully lobbying to have compression garments subsidised for people with the debilitating condition.

"Having met so many people across this state over many years, knowing that those people are no longer suffering in silence, just makes me quite emotional," Ms Bareham said after receiving the award at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

After being diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago and receiving treatment, Ms Bareham was left with damage to her lymphatic system, which can be a side effect to cancer treatment.

It can cause parts of the body to swell, most commonly an arm or a leg.

"Lymphoedema is a condition that can come from various pathways, but mine came from the lifesaving cancer treatment I received," she said.

An incurable condition

Compression garments are designed to help people like Ms Bareham manage the incurable condition. 

People typically have to own two sets to allow for washing and they generally need to be changed every six months.

Ms Bareham is measured for a lymphoedema compression garment after the subsidy was announced in mid-2020. (Supplied: Monique Bareham)

"Without compression, lymphoedema is an incredibly debilitating condition that just worsens," Ms Bareham said.

"I'm not wearing this tonight [compression garment] because it's a fashion statement.

"It's actually a very vital kit that manages my condition."

An expensive item

Ms Bareham quickly learnt after her diagnosis that, unlike other states, SA did not have a subsidy program for compression garments, which can cost thousands of dollars depending on people's needs.

She joined what is now known as the Lymphoedema Support Group SA to do something about it and fast became the group's president.

"Many, many people for many, many years were living without [a compression garment] and I just didn't want to see people living without it anymore," Ms Bareham said.

The group spent eight years lobbying politicians, attending meetings and gathering people's experiences.

Flinders University lymphoedema expert Professor Neil Piller was among those Ms Bareham thanked during her speech. (Supplied: Monique Bareham)

Subsidy achieved

In mid-2022, the federal government announced it would commit $2 million a year for an ongoing SA subsidy scheme, in conjunction with the state government, which would provide nearly $2.5 million over two years.

The scheme would provide South Australians living with lymphoedema up to two garments for each affected body part, free of charge.

"My absolute vision is positive health outcomes for every single person living with lymphoedema, or at risk of lymphoedema in SA," Ms Bareham said.

South Australians of the year

Also announced on Thursday night was SA Australian of the Year (AOY), vaccination researcher Professor Helen Marshall; SA Senior AOY, educator and author Mark Le Messurier; and SA Young AOY, special needs dentistry consultant Doctor Trudy Lin.  

The winners, along with their counterpart winners for every state and territory, will be nominees for the 2022 Australian of the Year awards to be held early next year.

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Monique Bareham announced SA's Local Hero after tireless work for people with lymphoedema - ABC Local
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