Renee Masella

I attribute my success to my faith, which was the only thing that got me through my cancer diagnosis and helped me come to a point of acceptance. That experience gave me a completely new perspective on life and changed my outlook profoundly. I also had the support of mentors who told me to believe in myself and move forward with my dreams and goals. Going through cancer myself and seeing how many women and people suffer from lymphedema made me realize I was in a position where I could help. I had to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and step out of my comfort zone to experience growth. Walking into doctors' offices with confidence, handing them my pamphlets and explaining what I can do - I had to go in there with confidence or else they wouldn't take me seriously. Every day I'm thankful that I'm cancer-free and that I had the confidence to start this business.

The best career advice I ever received is to believe in myself and to put all my doubts aside. To move forward with my dreams and my goals. There's a lot of self-doubt when you're going into private practice - do I know enough? Am I built for this? Can I handle it? Am I a good enough practitioner? Are people going to want to refer to me? It's building it from the ground up, and I had mentors who told me to believe in myself, because if you don't believe in yourself, nobody else will. I needed to carry that advice with me to get through it, because it was a real task building this business. I had to walk into doctors' offices handing them my pamphlets and explaining who I was and what I can do and how I can help patients, and I had to go in there with confidence or else they wouldn't take me seriously.

I would tell women to pursue their dreams, and the sky's the limit. I never thought as a woman therapist that I could be a business owner, and I'm not saying that everybody needs to be a business owner, but I would tell women to step out of your comfort zone and take a chance. As a confident woman, you can unlock so much - you can unlock your potential. I had to get uncomfortable with my career to grow. I had to really be comfortable with being uncomfortable and put myself in a lot of situations where I was nervous, but I had to step out of my comfort zone to experience that growth. There's a lot of opportunity out there, you just have to think outside the box.

My current challenge is finding other practitioners to help grow my business that are trained in lymphedema therapy, because it's such a specialty area of care. We need more providers that provide lymphatic therapy - that's across the nation. It's a known thing that there's a national shortage of therapists out there to help women and other individuals who suffer from lymphedema. My biggest challenge right now is how to handle my caseload. We're on like a 4-5 week waiting list and the referrals are pouring in. It's trying to keep up with the amount of patients that are referred to us without having them wait too long of a time. I'm trying to find that work-life balance between my work life and my home life with my young children. Finding that sweet spot between home and running a really busy, successful business while also being mommy to my kids - I'm still trying to perfect that, and I don't know if that's something you ever perfect, but I'm trying to maintain it.

Honesty, integrity, and compassion are my three big values. You have to have compassion, and you have to be honest, especially as a business owner.

Everything I do—both personally and professionally—is grounded in three core values: honesty, integrity, and compassion. I believe my patients deserve transparency at every step. That means setting realistic expectations, explaining treatment plans clearly, and always being upfront about progress, challenges, and outcomes. Trust starts with honesty, and I work hard to earn that trust every day.

Doing the right thing—even when it’s not the easiest option—is at the heart of my practice. I am committed to providing care that is ethical, evidence-based, and always in the best interest of my patients. I advocate for what my patients truly need, not what is most convenient.

Lymphedema and chronic swelling conditions can be physically and emotionally overwhelming. I approach every patient with empathy, patience, and understanding. I take the time to listen, to support, and to create a space where patients feel comfortable, respected, and cared for as a whole person—not just a diagnosis.

These values aren’t just words—they guide how I treat every patient, every day.