As Lindsey Saltmarsh ’22 MSOT of Oakboro, N.C., earned her graduate degree in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program at Pfeiffer University, she was encouraged to work in rural areas, where the need for OTs is often great.

She has taken that message to heart, opening a branch clinic of Healthy Lymphatics, Inc. in Burleson Square of Albemarle, N.C. She treats Stanly County area patients that have been diagnosed with lymphedema, a condition in which tissue swelling (most commonly in the arms and legs) is “caused by an accumulation of protein-rich fluid that’s usually drained through the body’s lymphatic system.” Lymphedema contributes to a weakened immune system; if left untreated, it can lead to a greater susceptibility to infections and wounds.

Healthy Lymphatics in Albemarle, which began operating on April 1, is Stanly County’s first lymphatic clinic. It’s off to a great start, with new referrals coming in weekly. Saltmarsh and fellow therapist Anik Tabor are treating around 50 patients using a process called Decongestive Therapy, which includes manual lymph drainage, compression bandaging, exercise and skin care.

“I knew there was a need for our services in Stanly County,” Saltmarsh said. “And I wanted to stay local after graduating. This practice has been a way of giving back.”

Saltmarsh added that before her Albemarle clinic came along, residents of Stanly County in need of treatment for lymphedema would need to travel to the North Carolina cities of Charlotte and Concord to get it. And more often than not, they’d find themselves on a waiting list.

Saltmarsh, who’s originally from Key West, Fla., got the Albemarle clinic off the ground because she capitalized on opportune circumstances. In August of 2023, she began working for Healthy Lymphatics at its office in Elkin, N.C. In time, she asked Carmen Albu, the company’s owner, to start a branch in Stanly County. Albu had her hands full overseeing seven other branches of Healthy Lymphatics that are spread across Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. She lacked the time to open another. 

But she didn’t close the door completely: “She was very honest with me. She said, ‘I don’t have the time to take that on, but if you want to explore looking for a place, go ahead and the company will support you financially,’” Saltmarsh said. “If I had to do this on my own dime, it would have been years and years down the road. I was fortunate enough that I had a boss who trusted me to do this.”

Realizing that the time she needed to look for locations was limited because of her work in Elkin, Saltmarsh asked her parents to come up from their home in South Carolina to help her. David, Saltmarsh’s father, is retired, and Toni, her mother, has served as the office manager for all Healthy Lymphatics branches since 2007. 

In fairly short order, Saltmarsh and her parents were able to find a location with good foot traffic. But their challenges were just beginning. The first was to furnish and equip the Albemarle office on a shoestring budget. To keep costs down, Saltmarsh bought many of the items she needed at Goodwill or Facebook Marketplace.

“Even though everything was purchased secondhand — even the artwork that’s hanging up — the office is very comforting and welcoming,” Saltmarsh said. “We really were mindful of all of that.”

The final test was lining up enough patients to give Healthy Lymphatics in Albemarle a viable start. Saltmarsh introduced herself and her services to physicians around Stanly County. Initially, the doctors seemed more comfortable with practices under the Atrium Health and Novant Health umbrellas.

“It was hard to go up against big names like that because people trust them,” Saltmarsh said.

A breakthrough of sorts began to emerge when Saltmarsh reminded the doctors that Albu has been an OT for 25 years and the owner of Healthy Lymphatics since 2007.

“She’s very, very dedicated to the lymphedema community,” Saltmarsh said. “That’s where her heart is, and you can tell that just by how she runs her offices. At the end of the day, what I try to really drive home is that we are not new to lymphedema; we’re just new to this area.”

Saltmarsh encourages her fellow program graduates to follow her lead.

“I would say that at least half of my former classmates aspire to open their own clinic,” she said. “I say, ‘Just do it.’”

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This article was written for Pfeiffer University by Ken Keuffel.