Presenters

BSc OT Wits, PG Diploma Interdisciplary PIn Management (UCT), Certified Hand Therapist (USA), Certified Lymphoedema Therapist ( Casely Smith and Lymphoedema Training Academy), Breathing Retraining ( Bradcliff Levels 2 and 2)

Jennifer Blenkinsop completed her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy at Wits in 1990. She then worked in the area of Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation for a few years before leaving for the United States in 1993. While in the USA, she developed a special interest in Rehabilitation of the Hand and Upper Limb. She successfully passed the United States Hand Therapy Certification examination in 1997, and has completed more than the continuing education requirements for the continued use of the specialty designation of Certified Hand Therapist. In 2000 she left the United States, and worked in Hand Therapy Departments in England throughout 2001. She returned to South Africa in 2002 to open a private practice. She now have practices at Morningside Mediclinic and Sandton Mediclinic. It was while in the USA that she developed a special interest in the management of lymphoedoedema In 2004 she certified to practice the Casely-Smith (Australian) method of Lymphoedema Management. In 2019 she certified in Fluoroscopy Guided Manual Lymphatic Drainage (Lymphoedema Training Academy, UK). She is a founder EXCO member of the Lymphoedema Association of South Africa (LAOSA) . In 2020 she returned to university and completed her post-grad diploma in Interdisciplinary Pain Management at UCT. In 2023 she completed Levels 1 and 2 of the Bradcliff Breathing Training Method. This follows completion of Breathwork Africa’s Foundations in Breathwork course in 2021. She has attended national and international congresses in all of her areas of work, and has given courses and presentations on different aspects of hand and upper limb rehabilitation as well as lymphoedema. Although these may seem to be very different areas of special interest, they integrate very well in complete client care. Additionally, she has a business called Naturally Grounded which focuses on wellbeing, particularly nature- based wellbeing, breathwork, guided imagery and music and stress management. She offers workshops to corporates and small businesses as well as to individual clients. She has been involved in medical and non-medical missions to Uganda, Benin, Haiti, Mozambique, Bosnia, When not working she can be found birding, cycling, hiking, travelling, working in her garden, enjoying good food and spending time with friends and family.