Insights & Stories

Pandere Shoes CEO Laura Oden’s Lymphedema Story Laura Oden, Pandere co-founder and CEO, shares the story of growing up with lymphedema, and how her personal struggles inspired the creation of Pandere Shoes. Diagnosis, surgery and lymphedema My obsession with shoes began in my teens. My mother led the way with a closet full of shoes. The collection included everything from 1970's hippie fashion to glam pumps from her college years. She was a fashionista. When I was 16, any path following my mother’s footsteps was permanently derailed. I was diagnosed with melanoma. Late 70's treatment meant having all of my lymph nodes removed. Like many others, surgery stopped the cancer but also started a lifelong struggle with lymphedema, an incurable condition that caused chronic swelling in my right leg and foot. Lymphedema's no fun for a fashionista Lymphedema is miserable. Not just physically, but psychologically as well. My lymphedema made it impossible to find cute shoes that fit. Between my teens and 30's, I would often buy shoes one or two sizes too big to accommodate the swelling, but then I would just end up with ill-fitting, uncomfortable shoes that were difficult to walk in and frankly, made me feel miserable. At that time, I didn’t even know that wide shoes or extra wide shoes even existed. There certainly were no wide shoes for swollen feet. Not being able to find wide shoes that fit my feet impacted my life in unimaginable ways. Aside from inhibiting my mobility and affecting my basic health, I found myself struggling with self-esteem and confidence during critical times in my life. The search for a solution I lived my lymphedema life in isolation. I was unaware of the millions of others who shared my struggle. My doctors had little or nothing to offer me. They became a repetitive chorus of “I don’t know what to tell you” or “it doesn’t seem that bad”, or “maybe you can stay off your feet more.” In the early years of my lymphedema, the conventional wisdom was to prescribe diuretics. Dutifully, and desperately, I took my daily pill to eliminate excess water from my system. I stopped on my own because of the obvious futility of the effort but many years later learned that diuretics are completely contraindicated for lymphedema. I did not wear compression stockings in the 70's and 80's because they offended my young sense of self. How could I possibly wear those contraptions and feel anything other than mortified? I came to regret this decision, but not until my lymphedema was so debilitating that I feared I might end up unable to walk, or worse, dead. The darkness before the dawn I spent two full decades in utter misery until my daughter was born. After an emergency C-section, my lymphedema dramatically worsened. My leg blew up like a blowfish and I had a baby that weighed only two and a half pounds. My mom had died two weeks prior to my daughter’s birth and now I could barely stand up, let alone put on a pair of shoes. As a new mom, staying off my feet was hardly an option. I was running my own business and taking care of an infant and crying myself to sleep every night. Worst of all, I was silent. I stuffed it down. I womanned up. Or at least until I could fall apart the next night. Fighting back as best as I could Having a C-section for a preemie was what finally got me into lymphedema treatment. This was the beginning of a 20-year odyssey of learning to live with lymphedema. The early treatment was not very effective, but at least I did make an effort to wrap compression bandages every day for six months and wear compression stockings. For me, over-the-counter compression stockings created a terrible sense of frustration. On the one hand, I knew I needed them. On the other hand, most of them cut into the back of my knee like a tourniquet. The pain associated with swelling, not to mention the pain of the stockings cutting off behind the knee, simply cannot be understated. Plus, they just didn’t work very well. At the end of my day my leg still swelled up significantly, even with stockings. It was hard to tell what, if any difference the stockings were making. I tried everything. I tried 2 stockings on top of each other. These were over the counter 40/50 mmhg. I tried putting sanitary pads inside my stockings to cushion the back of my knee. I tried adding bandages or neoprene braces. I tried an early version pump that we all learned later was disastrous for people with lymphedema and probably antagonized the swelling. I tried anything I could think of to improve the compression. During this period of time, mercifully, my body would still reduce the fluid at night when I went to sleep. Eventually my body lost that ability too. The turning point I was working in a healthcare facility. I spoke to doctors and clinicians frequently about my dilemma. Even they had nothing new to suggest. One day, I was invited to a meeting about cancer treatment developments led by doctors from the Mayo Clinic. Afterwards, I tapped on one speaker’s shoulder and asked if he knew about any new developments in lymphedema treatment. The doctor said he had heard that lymph node transplants were being done in Europe. It took me five years to find and learn more about the surgery that I would ultimately undergo. “Lymph Node Transfer” surgery, plus my religious bandaging three months prior to the surgery and one year after, ultimately turned my situation around. Even without the surgery, one full year of bandaging will provide an enormous amount of relief to anyone! My next great discoveries The second thing that turned the tide for me was switching to custom Jobst Elverex stockings. I always wanted higher compression than 40/50 but every fitter told me that I was not a candidate for custom stockings. I was told that custom stockings were only for people who needed a custom shape. Not true. The biggest secret of custom stockings is that they come in much higher compression levels. My Jobst Elverex Stockings. For the last 5 years my compression stocking are 49/70 with a special knee insert that protects the back of my knee (g-bye tourniquet) with double panels of silicon dots at the top. My Tactile Medical Flexitouch Pump I also use a Tactile Medical Flexitouch pump periodically which really helps reduce tightness when I need some extra help. I often pump more after flying on a plane or a demanding week on my feet. Between the bandaging, and the surgery, and the high compression stockings, and the pump, I finally had relief for the first time in decades. I saw the bones in my feet for the first time since I was in my early twenties. My life began to normalize. I was not miserable every minute of every day. Finding strength in the lymphie community And my journey brought me out of isolation. I learned about Facebook groups that acted like support groups that I could tap into day or night. I had no idea that I was not alone. And once I broke free of my isolation, I found myself intensely motivated to do something for us, to make our lives better. After discovering how many others were facing the same challenges as me, I grew determined to face the footwear industry myself. Surely we could do better than what was on the market! I envisioned a stylish, expandable shoe that was also comfortable, adjustable in key places, supportive and made with high-quality materials. Wide shoes for swollen feet that didn’t look like granny shoes – imagine that! Pandere Shoes is born! In 2016, I took my idea to an Anchorage Startup Weekend, an event where entrepreneurs and businesses come together to brainstorm and pitch ideas. At the event, I met Ayla Rogers and Celia Crossett, who would go on to become my Pandere co-founders. There was an immediate chemistry between Ayla, Celia and I, and we soon began raising funds for a shoe prototype. That was the beginning of Pandere, and the beginning of a new chapter of my life in which, uncomfortable poorly fitting shoes no longer held me back! Me and my amazing co-founders Celia and Ayla. I’ve discovered that the right shoes can make all the difference. And the greatest gift for me has been talking to people every day that have the same problems – and helping them find a way out. It’s a deep connection I feel with every customer, and an incredible reward to create shoes that make people feel better. We are changing lives, every day.

Struggling to find shoes that stay comfortable as your feet swell through the day? Learn why wide shoes often fall short—and how expandable, adjustable footwear can finally bring lasting comfort for swollen feet, lymphedema, or edema.

Shopping for shoes online when you have hard-to-fit feet can be a huge challenge - with no salesperson to talk to and no shoe to try on before you buy, the purchase may be a gamble that results in an extra trip to the post office to return an ill-fitting shoe. Enter the Pandere Fit Specialist. We know first-hand how challenging it is to find shoes that fit well, whether you’re shopping online or in person. That’s why Pandere offers Fit Specialists whose passion it is to find the right shoe for your foot. Here are 5 reasons why you should chat with a Pandere Fit Specialist. 1. Fit Specialists are real peopleThere’s nothing worse than needing answers and trying to communicate with a bot. Our Fit Specialists are real, living humans sipping coffee at their desks and wearing Pandere shoes, of course. They are part of our core team here at Pandere and are passionate about matching you with the right shoe. 2. Fit Specialists guide you to the right shoe for your footEveryone’s feet are different and Pandere is dedicated to finding the right shoes for your unique feet. Each of Pandere’s styles are engineered to accommodate a variety of foot conditions, including but not limited to swelling, bunions, hammertoe, plantar fasciitis and extra wide feet. Whether you have a medical condition or two differently sized feet, are pregnant, work on your feet all day, have extra wide feet, or are just looking for the ultimate comfort shoe, our knowledgeable Fit Specialists know our shoes inside and out and can help guide you to the right shoe. 3. Fit Specialists provide more in-depth information about our stylesBecause no two feet are alike, our Fit Specialists have an in-depth knowledge of Pandere’s styles and can answer questions and provide information customized to your unique needs. Swelling in only one foot? Plantar Fasciitis? High instep or arches? Our Fit Specialists can help. 4. Fit Specialists steer you away from the wrong style You may already have a shoe picked out and added to your cart, but is it the perfect shoe for your foot? Our Fit Specialists are trained to know how your unique foot needs can best be accommodated by one of Pandere’s styles. Returns at Pandere are easy, but we want to help you get it right the first time! 5. Fit Specialists have insider knowledge We always have a few surprises up our sleeve! Whether it’s a new style or size slated for release, an exclusive discount, or a shoe in production designed to accommodate a specific foot need, our Fit Specialists have the inside scoop and may end up guiding you to a forthcoming style or exclusive discount you didn’t know about.  CONNECT WITH A FIT SPECIALIST We have fit specialists that are experts in helping you pick the right shoe. TALK TO A FIT SPECIALIST

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or even Festivus, the holidays are almost here and chances are you’re already searching for the perfect gift for your family and friends. If you’ve landed here, you – or someone you love – struggles to find the perfect shoes. For loved ones with foot swelling, wide feet, bunions or those who are always on the go like nurses or travelers, the holidays are a perfect time to receive the thoughtful gift of comfort, style and renewed freedom. Here’s our guide for how to surprise them with the perfect shoes this holiday season.

ANCHORAGE (KTUU) - Getting a business idea off the ground and turning it into a successful product is no easy task, but one Alaskan company, Pandere Shoes, was able to do just that. They started by identifying a problem. “I've had difficulty finding shoes to fit my feet for the last 40 years, because I have a medical condition called lymphedema, so one foot is chronically swollen," said Pandere CEO Laura Oden.

Now that you have finally reached the long-awaited milestone of retirement, nothing stands between you and everything you never had enough free time for – travel, golf, gardening, maybe even ballroom dancing. Nothing, that is, except your tired, aching feet. Foot problems are a common complaint among retirees. Like every other part of the body, our feet suffer from the effects of aging too:

When we began working on a concept for stylish, expandable shoes in 2016, we knew we needed the perfect name – one that would capture both the unique qualities of our product and our mission to give people their mobility and dignity back. Over the next two years, as we worked on our first prototype, we talked with hundreds of women across the country who were fed up with being forgotten by the shoe industry. Our co-founder Laura Oden understood the frustration. Laura has had lymphedema for 40 years and had always struggled to find shoes that fit.

Do you feel like you’re trying to force a round peg into a triangular-shaped hole when you slip your shoes on every morning? Are your feet discolored or do they have indentations from your shoes when you finally take them off at the end of a long day? Even if you don’t think of your feet as wide, you might need wide shoes.

Like many others living with lower limb lymphedema, I struggle when it comes to footwear. Most of my swelling is in my right foot and ankle, so finding a shoe that comfortably fits is a challenge. And finding a shoe that’s stylish, too? Forget it. I’m always on the lookout for lymphie-friendly footwear, so when my friends at Pandere reached out to me asking if I’d be interested in trying their latest style on for size, I was ecstatic.

The Foot Freedom Almanac’s Guide to Buying Shoes for Wide Feet As much as 72 percent of people don’t wear shoes that are wide enough or long enough for their feet. The same 2018 study, published in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, found substantial evidence demonstrating that ill-fitting shoes are associated with foot pain and a number of foot disorders. Do you have wide feet?

I’m not sure if Jonathan and I just have really big feet or we just keep moving to countries where people have tiny feet. Whatever the reason, buying shoes is always a nightmare. When our new friends from Pandere Shoes contacted us and said, ‘Hey, we have a new range of shoes perfect for travelling. Want to try them?’ We didn’t need to be asked twice. Um, but we did wonder if they cater for size enormous feet.

Finding comfort during pregnancy isn’t always easy, but soothing tired feet is. Here are 7 ways to treat those tired feet - because a relaxed mama means a relaxed baby!

When Pandere offered to send me samples of their expandable shoes, I was thrilled because, as a woman over 50, my feet have become more uncomfortable with age. Aching arches, sore heels, and occasional swelling are all part of growing older. I want comfortable shoes that fit and adjust to whatever my feet decide to torture me within any given day. But, as a woman who doesn’t want to look like a clodhopper in “granny” shoes, it’s always exciting when you can find expandable shoes that don’t look ugly and are stylish as well. Read the post here.

It’s important for anyone to wear shoes that fit well, but for those of us with wide feet, this can be a tall order. If you have wide feet, we’ve got you covered. Here are five shoe features to look for when shopping for shoes:

And then I found this company, Pandere. This is the shoe for the egalitarian, utilitarian, hipster in you. And they look very comfortable. Read the post here.

Laura Oden, co-founder of Pandere, has had lymphedema for 35 years. She is a healthcare business planner by day and a singer-songwriter by night. Celia Crosset, co-founder of Pandere, holds two and a half Master's degrees. She is a healthcare business planner by day and a competitive weightlifter by night.  Ayla Rogers, co-founder of Pandere, is an entrepreneur and real estate licensee by day and an investment strategist by night.

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Take a look at your feet. Chances are, you have the same size shoe on each foot. But for lots of people managing common medical challenges (like diabetes, arthritis, circulation issues, edema) the story isn’t that simple. Often they buy shoes several sizes too big, which causes other issues. Or they buy two pairs in different sizes….but should they have to? Three Alaska entrepreneurs, all women, decided the answer was ‘Heck, no.’ They’ve launched Pandere Shoes and worked with designers around the world to develop a shoe that can expand as needed in the toe box, the ankle and mid-foot.