Lipedema Foundation in the News

The Lipedema Foundation and its team are regularly featured in podcasts, news outlets, and medical publications. Explore our media appearances below to hear from Foundation leaders on the latest in lipedema research, diagnosis, treatment, and awareness.

News & Magazine Features

Black Health Matters | May 9, 2026
Doja Cat's TikTok Sparked a Lipedema Conversation: How a viral post drove new attention to lipedema symptoms, self-diagnosis, and the diagnostic gaps facing Black women.

The Guardian | April 30, 2026
Puffy legs, heavy aches, rippled skin: what is lipedema? An explainer on lipedema symptoms, how the condition differs from obesity and lymphedema, and why diagnosis is so often delayed.

ELLE | April 29, 2026
Doja Cat Is Not the Only One Self-Diagnosing Lipedema. With comments from Foundation Project Manager Kasi Grosvenor on lipedema symptoms, self-diagnosis, and how lipedema differs from cellulite.

Time Magazine | March 12, 2026
Doja Cat Says She Might Have Lipedema. Here's What to Know About the Condition With comments from Foundation CEO Jonathan Kartt and Project Manager Kasi Grosvenor on lipedema symptoms, diagnosis challenges, and the Foundation's research mission.

NBC News | July 10, 2025
This influencer's videos show an active lifestyle. Offline, she's fighting for treatment for a painful condition With comments from Foundation CEO Jonathan Kartt on insurance barriers to lipedema treatment and the cost of delayed diagnosis.

Bloom TV (WFLA) | June 24, 2024
The Need for Lipedema Research and Resources Foundation CEO Jonathan Kartt and content creator Allison Jacobs on the state of lipedema research and the resources available to patients.

Podcast Appearances

LymphCast Podcast
July 22, 2026
Is It Fat, or Is It Lipedema? Foundation CEO Jonathan Kartt, Professional Learning Manager Courtney Mascio, and Project Manager Kasi Grosvenor on distinguishing lipedema from obesity and what a real diagnosis involves.

NPWH Her Health Matters Podcast
June 16, 2026
Lipedema Care: The Role of the Nurse Practitioner Foundation Professional Learning Manager Courtney Mascio on how nurse practitioners can recognize lipedema symptoms and support patients in primary care.

Stronger than Lipedema Podcast
May 31, 2026
Insights on Lipedema Awareness Month and Focus on Lipedema Literacy Foundation Project Manager Kasi Grosvenor on lipedema literacy and the goals of Lipedema Awareness Month 2026.

August 24, 2025
Journey through Lipedema: Kasi's Inspirational Story and Practical Advice Foundation Project Manager Kasi Grosvenor on her own path to diagnosis and practical self-advocacy for lipedema patients.

Bendy Bodies Podcast
May 28, 2026
Why Lipedema Resists Diet and Exercise with Lipedema Foundation. Foundation VP of Research Jesse Cochrane and Project Manager Kasi Grosvenor on lipedema fat biology and why conventional weight loss approaches fall short.

Pain Exchange Podcast
September 15, 2025
De-Stigmatizing Lipedema: A Conversation with Jonathan Kartt From the International Association for the Study of Pain. Foundation CEO Jonathan Kartt on lipedema pain, stigma, and the dismissal patients face in clinical settings.

Lipedema Mamas Podcast
August 18, 2025
Parenting Teens / Lipedema Foundation w/ Kasi Grosvenor (Part 2) Foundation Project Manager Kasi Grosvenor on recognizing lipedema symptoms in adolescents and supporting teens through diagnosis.

August 10, 2025
Catching Up w/ Lipedema Foundation's Kasi Grosvenor: Surgery, Mast Cell, and GLP-1 (Part 1) Foundation Project Manager Kasi Grosvenor on surgical options, mast cell activation, and GLP-1 medications in lipedema care.

June 7, 2024
Talking All about the Lipedema Foundation with Stephanie Galia: Resources Galore! Foundation Director Stephanie Galia on the full range of Foundation resources available to patients, caregivers, and clinicians.

Press Releases

Lipedema Foundation Names Jonathan Kartt Chief Executive Officer

Greenwich, CT: The Lipedema Foundation announces the appointment of Jonathan Kartt as Chief Executive Officer. Kartt brings over a decade of leadership and experience in philanthropy and the social sector and a background advising nonprofits, foundations, and life science companies. He is responsible for developing and executing long-term strategies to advance the scientific research agenda and increase awareness about Lipedema, a common but under-recognized disorder, primarily affecting women, that can cause pain and limit mobility.

Kartt joins the organization after leading basic biomedical research, chronic pain, and civic engagement programs at the Rita Allen Foundation, a private foundation working at the intersection of science and civil society. 

"Lipedema impacts millions of women. Patients are routinely dismissed by medical providers, and diagnostics and treatments are lacking,” says Kartt. “I'm honored to join the Lipedema Foundation at this important moment in its history. I look forward to building on the tremendous work of the Foundation and its awardees and partners in the field, and to engaging deeply with patients impacted by this condition."

Previously, at Strategic Decisions Group and the Bridgespan Group, Kartt worked to advise leading companies, nonprofits, and foundations as a strategy consultant in the life sciences and philanthropy sectors. 

ABOUT LIPEDEMA: 

Lipedema is a chronic medical condition primarily impacting women and characterized by a symmetric buildup of adipose tissue (fat) in the legs and arms, often with pain and, at advanced stages, impaired mobility. It is frequently misdiagnosed as obesity or lymphedema, though Lipedema fat is resistant to exercise and diet. The exact prevalence is still unknown, but Lipedema is widespread, affecting millions of adolescent and adult women. Lipedema is vastly underdiagnosed and research and treatments are lacking due to stigma, limited awareness, low levels of funding, and lack of a diagnostic test. Awareness among healthcare providers and the general public is increasing; recent progress includes recognition of Lipedema by the American College of Cardiology and the publication of a standard of care for Lipedema in the United States.

ABOUT THE LIPEDEMA FOUNDATION:

The Lipedema Foundation is a private, non-fundraising foundation established in 2015 by Felicitie Daftuar with a mission to define, diagnose and develop treatments for Lipedema. The

Foundation is the world’s largest funder of Lipedema research, with more than $15.4 million awarded in the US and internationally to date. The Foundation’s research focuses on collaboration, connecting patients and researchers, and fostering basic and translational research across disciplines including physiology, genomics, immunology and endocrinology.  

The Foundation also maintains the Lipedema Foundation Registry, an online registry platform created to help patients, families, clinicians, and caregivers learn more about the condition, understand barriers to diagnosis, assess the quality of life impact, and point the way to potential treatment approaches.

Find out more about this exciting research field at www.lipedema.org.  

Related Resources

New to lipedema? Start with What Is Lipedema for the basics on symptoms and how it differs from other conditions.

Exploring treatment? See Lipedema Treatments for conservative and surgical options.

Newly diagnosed? Visit For Patients for self-advocacy tools and provider search.

Want more video? Browse Videos & CME for expert presentations and continuing education.

Media inquiries? Reach the Foundation through Contact Us.