Tanya Flink

Marathon Runner, Lymphedema Advocate

When I was 22, I went on a run and noticed one leg was puffy. My primary sent me to the Emergency Room (ER), thinking it was a clot. This was immediately followed by a bad case of cellulitis that the ER thought was shingles. From then on, my leg was swollen, but it took a year of seeing specialists until someone recognized it as lymphedema. In early 2020, I matched with my current lymphedema physical therapist, and she is amazing.

Activity is the best thing for my lymphedema—my PT thinks the contracting muscles help push the fluid to where it needs to go. Wearing compression helps keep everything together while I run, and I can forget about the lymphedema for awhile. And the best part is—it doesn't fall down! I can do a full 26.2-mile marathon without constantly tugging my compression up.

I've done 16 marathons as of May 2025 and hope to keep going! I’m motivated by the feeling I get the entire day of the long run. It energizes me, and the runner's high lasts far beyond the last mile. While I run for a number of reasons, one of them is to not let my chronic condition limit me. Juzo compression helps me achieve my goals and stay active.

Read more about Tanya.