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Lymphoedema Awareness Event in conversation with Dame Judi Dench CH DBE FRSA

Explore the extraordinary gala hosted by Gemma Levine, featuring Dame Judi Dench, Simon Callow, and Professor Peter Mortimer. An inspiring evening combining art, theatre, and medicine to break the silence on lymphoedema and advance vital research.

 

Lymphoedema Awareness Event in conversation with Dame Judi Dench CH DBE FRSA

What does advocating for an invisible condition look like when world-class doctors, legendary actors, and patient advocates unite on one stage?

In this video recorded at Claridge’s, discover the extraordinary gala hosted by photographer Gemma Levine on behalf of the Lymphoedema Research Fund at St George’s Hospital Charity. Joined by iconic figures of stage and screen including Dame Judi Dench, Simon Callow, and Dame Joanna Lumley, alongside Professor Peter Mortimer and Bill Repicci, Gemma Levine shines a light on a frequently overlooked medical condition.
This collective event highlights the essential role of patient advocacy and celebrity visibility in giving a voice to those living with lymphatic disease, demonstrating how art and empathy can become powerful catalysts for medical progress.
An inspiring and deeply human video, where theatrical warmth meets medical expertise to break the stigma and deliver a message of hope to millions of patients worldwide.
“When my arm first swelled in Venice, a waiter told me: You can’t fight the tide, but you can learn to swim. That is the beginning of my story: I’ve learned to swim, and I hope we can help others do the same.” — Gemma Levine, event organizer and photographer

Video Highlights

  • An Essential Medical Insight — Professor Peter Mortimer details how the lymphatic system serves as the body’s cleansing network and explains the serious risks of severe swelling and sepsis caused by lymphoedema.
  • Artistic Partnership for a Cause — Dame Judi Dench, Simon Callow, and family members share film memories (from A Room with a View to James Bond), a reading from Dickens’s The Pickwick Papers, and a monologue from Twelfth Night.
  • A Story of Personal Resilience — Gemma Levine’s journey as a professional photographer adapting her craft and mission after developing post-cancer lymphoedema.
  • A Global Movement of Hope — The international progress spearheaded by LEARN, establishing 64 Centers of Excellence worldwide to improve diagnosis and treatment.
  • An Inspiring Keynote Tribute — Dame Joanna Lumley compares the vital yet unseen function of the lymphatic system to the flow of the Danube River.
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