“A clinician by training and an advocate by necessity, Emma Cloney has turned a precedent-setting personal legal battle into a national mission. Alongside the dynamic team at Lipedema Canada, she is bridging the gap between healthcare policy and patient reality—dismantling systemic barriers through education, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to ensure that no Canadian is left to fight for their mobility alone.”
When contacting Lipedema Canada personnel, please note that we cannot provide medical advice. All inquiries to our volunteer directors should be professional in nature. For general questions about lipedema, please email [email protected].
Emma Cloney is a Registered Nurse specializing in Women’s Health and the co-founder and President of Lipedema Canada. Her advocacy was forged through a gruelling battle for medical justice following her 2021 diagnosis. After the government unexpectedly reneged on a commitment to fund nine life-changing surgeries when only three were completed, Emma took her story to the national media and mobilized her community to fundraise while her legal battle proceeded. In 2024, her case was settled, and coverage was reinstated for her remaining surgeries in the USA and Germany. This victory remains bittersweet because it does not yet extend to the millions of others across the nation, which has transformed this advocacy into her life’s work.
Today, Emma leads a dynamic team at Lipedema Canada to bridge the gap between clinical expertise, health policy, and lived experience. Drawing on her background as a nurse educator and a professional touring musician, she is a compelling public speaker who navigates the complexities of the Canada Health Act with a survivor’s perspective. Emma collaborates with experts and policymakers to dismantle the systemic failures that lead to the ongoing suffering of those with lipedema. It is her honour to serve in a volunteer capacity, turning her hard-fought personal victory into a collaborative national movement for healthcare reform, education, and professional accountability.
