“More Than Massage: Sally Visser's Story of Lymphatic Health”

“Are we allowed to nominate ourselves 🤭?”

That was the question Sally Visser sent to Richards Bay Hub after reading another Local Story.

What followed was not an ordinary conversation about a spa. It became a conversation about the lymphatic system, lesser-known conditions such as lipedema, and women who can spend years struggling to understand their own bodies.

Sally is the founder of Meraki Eco Health & Lymph Spa, a small, one-person practice in Meerensee.

She also lives with stage 1 lipedema herself.

For Sally, Meraki is more than a business. It is an opportunity to help people understand their bodies, ask questions without embarrassment and feel that their concerns are taken seriously.

Where curiosity became a calling

Sally traces her fascination with the lymphatic system to an article by Pierre van Niekerk of Pierre@EcoHealth in Centurion.

Something about the subject captured her attention.

The more she learned, the more questions she had. That curiosity gradually became a personal interest and eventually part of the purpose behind Meraki.

She describes her interest as an obsession, but one rooted in a desire to understand what happens beneath the surface of the body.

“I believe God gives us certain experiences and passions for a reason. I don't believe I have all the answers, and I am certainly not finished learning. But I do believe I can use what I learn, what I experience and the work I do to help others.”

— Sally Visser

When the story became personal

Sally's interest in lipedema goes beyond what she has learned through her professional work.

She says she lives with stage 1 lipedema, while her mother also lives with the condition.

That family experience has shaped how she thinks about women whose symptoms are misunderstood, dismissed or attributed entirely to their weight.

For Sally, awareness is about more than explaining a medical term. It is about challenging assumptions and encouraging women to seek appropriate assessment when something does not feel right.

She also emphasizes that her personal experience does not make every woman's experience the same.

“I don't want women to spend years fighting their bodies because nobody ever explained what might be happening. I want them to have knowledge, support and the confidence to advocate for themselves.”

— Sally Visser

Understanding lipedema and lymphoedema

Part of Sally's mission is helping more people understand the difference between lipedema and lymphoedema.

In her interview, she explains that lipedema involves an abnormal pattern of fat distribution, commonly affecting the legs and sometimes the arms. It may be accompanied by pain, heaviness, tenderness or easy bruising.

Lymphoedema is different. It involves a build-up of lymphatic fluid in tissues when the lymphatic system cannot transport it adequately.

The conditions can sometimes occur together, but they should not be confused with one another.

Sally stresses that neither body shape nor swelling alone is enough to make a diagnosis.

You are allowed to ask questions

Some women live for years with pain, bruising, swelling or discomfort without understanding what may be causing it.

Others become discouraged after being told their concerns are simply about weight.

Sally wants women to feel comfortable asking for explanations and seeking professional assessment without shame.

She also warns against relying on social media checklists to diagnose themselves.

For her, awareness should lead to better questions and appropriate care, not fear or unsupported promises.

“Your body is not a moral report card. You do not need to earn the right to be taken seriously by reaching a certain weight.”

— Sally Visser

More than a relaxation massage

When people hear the word massage, they may imagine a conventional relaxation treatment.

Sally explains that manual lymphatic drainage, or MLD, is a different technique involving gentle, controlled movements intended to support lymphatic fluid movement.

Her training journey has included a Holistic Massage course through CAMS Institute, lymphatic drainage training and continued professional development, including learning through Healing Hands Cape Town.

She says MLD may have a role in managing certain symptoms for suitable individuals, depending on their condition and medical circumstances.

But she is equally clear about its limitations. It is not a cure for lipedema, a method of removing lipedema fat or a replacement for medical care.

“I will never promise that MLD cures disease, melts fat or guarantees weight loss.”

— Sally Visser

A first appointment begins with listening

Meraki operates as a one-person practice, and Sally says clients receive individual attention.

Before a session, she discusses their reasons for booking, relevant medical history, medications, previous procedures, symptoms and any concerns that could affect treatment suitability.

She also explains the proposed treatment, its limitations, consent and comfort.

Not every appointment necessarily leads to treatment.

Sally says she will recommend medical assessment when a client's symptoms raise concerns or when treatment may be inappropriate.

For her, that is an important part of responsible care.

“I do not believe in treating someone simply because they have booked an appointment and paid for it. If I am concerned that treatment may be inappropriate, I would rather postpone the session and recommend the right assessment than take an unnecessary risk.”

— Sally Visser

When recovery brings new challenges

Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October provides an opportunity to discuss lymphatic complications that can sometimes follow cancer treatment.

She wants more people to know that lymphatic complications can sometimes occur after breast cancer surgery or treatment, particularly when lymph nodes have been removed or affected.

In suitable cases, manual lymphatic drainage may form part of a broader programme for managing lymphoedema.

However, Sally stresses the importance of medical assessment, appropriate professional guidance and treatment clearance.

She does not present MLD as a cancer treatment or an alternative to oncology care.

“MLD does not treat breast cancer, prevent cancer recurrence or replace oncology care. It is not a cancer treatment.”

— Sally Visser

The part of the work people cannot see

When Sally talks about meaningful moments in her work, she does not focus on a dramatic transformation or a particular procedure.

She talks about conversations.

About women who are frustrated, embarrassed or exhausted from trying to explain what they are experiencing.

About the relief that can come from being listened to without judgement.

Her own experience has made her particularly aware of how quickly people can make assumptions about someone else's body.

She wants Meraki to be a place where people feel respected, even when the appropriate next step is to seek help elsewhere.

“Sometimes the most meaningful thing we can offer another person is not a miracle or a quick fix. It is the reassurance that they have been heard, the knowledge to make informed decisions and the dignity of being treated as a person rather than a problem to be fixed.”

— Sally Visser

The reality of building Meraki

Behind Meraki's growing identity is the everyday reality of running a small local business.

Sally is not only providing treatments. She is also managing appointments, administration, education and marketing.

Introducing people to an unfamiliar service takes patience. She has had to explain what MLD is, what it may help with and why it should not be marketed as a miracle treatment.

There have been challenges, but also encouraging moments.

Meraki received third place in the Best Health Shop category of the Best of Zululand 2025/2026 awards.

For Sally, the recognition matters because it reflects support from the community she hopes to serve.

And even with the serious subject matter, she has managed to keep her sense of humour.

“Running a largely one-person business means I am the therapist, the administrator, the marketer, the educator and, on some days, the person trying to work out why the social media post I spent hours creating has reached approximately seven people!”

— Sally Visser

Five years from now

Sally has ambitions beyond simply filling more appointments.

She hopes that, five years from now, more women in Richards Bay will recognise the words lipedema and lymphoedema and feel confident asking questions about their health.

Her vision is for Meraki to develop into a recognised lymphatic health and lipedema awareness and support hub in KwaZulu-Natal.

She hopes to build professional relationships, expand education and help women find reliable information and appropriate pathways to care.

But beneath those goals is something deeply personal.

Sally wants women to feel less alone.

She wants them to understand that their bodies deserve care and that asking questions is not something to be ashamed of.

And she wants the business she is building to remain faithful to the reason it began.

“Because Meraki Eco Health & Lymph Spa has never been just about massage for me. It is about people. It is about helping women feel seen, heard and supported. And it is about making sure that no woman feels she has to fight for understanding entirely on her own. It's about your Lymphatic Health!”

— Sally Visser