Sydney Adventist Hospital has partnered with Fit for Life Physio to provide an outpatient lymphoedema clinic located within the San Integrated Cancer Centre.

Fit for Life Physio is focused on preventing lymphoedema through early intervention and surveillance, and returning our clients to their preoperative conditions as soon as possible.

We provide pre-operative assessments, week four follow up, assessment and treatment for lymphoedema, axillary web syndrome, and treatment for musculoskeletal issues following surgery.

Treatments Available:

Our physiotherapists Melanie Cole (Director), Elizabeth Ringrose and Heather York are able to provide:

• Prescription garmenting
• Low level LASER
• Compartmentalised compression pump
• Compression bandaging
• Skin care
• Education
• Lymphatic massage
• Oncology massage (coming soon on Fridays)

All our treatments are research based and we work very closely with the Sydney Adventist Hospital breast care team.

Pricing Guide

• Initial consultations are $150 and standard consultations are $140. Appointments are 1 hour.
• Treatments may be claimed through private health fund extras cover (dependent on cover).
• Our standout advantage over other private practices from a cost perspective is that we have access to hospital health fund programs.  This means that members of certain health funds can have an inpatient hospital lymphoedema program, where the only out-of-pocket costs for intensive lymphoedema treatment are their annual hospital excess and the cost of compression garments.
• Fit for Life Physio accepts Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) / Team Care Arrangement (TCA) referrals signed by your local General Practitioner, where patients receive a $53.80 rebate via Medicare for up to 5 sessions per calendar year
• We are a registered DVA provider.
• We can also enable access to funding for compression garments. Funding is available for two garments per body part every 6 months.

Enquiries and Bookings

• Email: melanie.cole@SAH.org.au
• Bookings: https://fit-for-life-physio.cliniko.com/bookings
• Phone: 02 9480 6260

We are available between 9.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

Please note this outpatient service is separate to the San Physiotherapy service available for patients while admitted to hospital, post discharge, and to members of the community. For more information on San Physiotherapy please click here.

Fit for Life Physiotherapists

Melanie Cole

Director, Fit for Life Physiotherapy
Melanie holds Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy) The University Sydney, 1996 and Bachelor of Arts (Human Movement Studies) University of Technology Sydney, 1990.

Melanie began work as an outpatient Physiotherapist at the Sydney Adventist Hospital and qualified as a Lymph 1 Physiotherapist in 2001. During this time axillary clearance was the norm and an exciting new surgical technique sentinel node biopsy was in its infancy. Prior to joining the San Melanie worked in private practice, and she has over a decade’s experience treating musculoskeletal dysfunction. She also worked for 10 years as gym instructor/personal trainer at Kerry Packers' prestigious Hyde Park Club where she trained many high-profile clients.

Melanie has treated hundreds if not thousands of clients with lymphoedema and those recovering from breast cancer surgery. She is committed to ongoing professional development with regular attendance at industry educational events, online learning and keeping up to date with current literature.

Having seen early in her career the devastating impact of uncontrolled lymphoedema, Melanie is committed to the prevention of lymphoedema in all SAH breast patients. As director of Fit for Life Physiotherapy Melanie’s aim is to create a centre of excellence for the treatment, management, and prevention of lymphoedema. Highly qualified and experienced staff regularly participate in onsite journal clubs, in-services, observation of surgical techniques and are supported in industry approved professional development.

Libby Ringrose

Physiotherapist, specialising in cancer rehabilitation and lymphoedema
Libby has been working in the area of cancer and lymphoedema for the past 8 years gaining experience in cancer from an inpatient and outpatient perspective, right from diagnosis through to end of life. She has also had first-hand experience as a carer, with both parents going through their own cancer journeys. She currently resides on the Physiotherapy Associations’ Cancer Lymphoedema and Palliative Care committee and the Australasian Lymphology Associations membership committee. She is a qualified Pinc and Steel physiotherapist as well as a Pilates and yoga instructor and hydrotherapy physio.

As a physiotherapist, Libby sees patients pre-operatively to educate them on physical recovery from their operation. Post operatively she provides strategies and individualised exercise programs to maintain or improve fitness, strength and quality of life during cancer treatment, tackling any physical side effects that may arise and help them return to their pre cancer functionality once active treatment has finished. Consults can be one-on-one hands-on therapy or small group exercise/pilates/yoga classes.

As a lymphoedema therapist Libby follows the Early Intervention model of care right from diagnosis. She can help with scar tissue management, lymphoedema, oedema, seromas and cording.

Heather York

Associate Physiotherapist
Heather is a skilled physiotherapist, completing her Master of Physiotherapy at the University of Sydney in 2014. She has a particular interest in caring for those who have experienced a breast cancer diagnosis and for those who have developed lymphoedema. To this end, she gained her Level 1 qualification as a specialised Lymphoedema therapist in 2016 and has since worked primarily in this field. She has worked in varied settings such as private lymphoedema clinics, private musculoskeletal physiotherapy clinics and private hospitals.

Heather is passionate about listening to the concerns of her clients and helping them to understand their condition better. She is an excellent educator, sharing her professional expertise, helping them to participate in their rehabilitation and develop and achieve their individual goals. She is compassionate, understanding that a cancer diagnosis can affect more than just the physical body, therefore incorporating all aspects of wellbeing in the development of these goals.

Heather is an Accredited Member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association and the Australasian Lymphology Association. During her studies she was awarded the University of Sydney Academic Merit Prize in 2011, and in 2013 was awarded third place in the University of Sydney’s Prosector’s Competition for outstanding achievement in the dissection of an anatomical specimen. She is a keen learner, seeking always to develop professionally and has completed many current evidence based courses including Axillary Web Syndrome, Breast Rehabilitation, Anatomy and ICG Imaging, BSN Compression Therapy, Clinical Pilates (APPI), Musculoskeletal and Segmental Dry Needling for Physiotherapists and Kinesiotaping Levels 1-3.