How the PH Community Helps Us Fulfill Our Mission

Dear friends,

Please join me in celebrating good news about our efforts to spread pulmonary hypertension awareness. The Pulmonary Hypertension Association recently received three prestigious awards from the Software & Information Industry Association Advertising, Media & Publications (AM&P) Network. The AM&P Network’s EXCEL awards recognize outstanding communications and marketing efforts by nonprofit associations in the United States.

This year we won three awards: two gold and one silver. The gold (first place) awards were for best blog (PHA’s Right Heart Blog) and best non-educational, promotional or membership video (closing video for PHA 2022 International PH Conference and Scientific Sessions). The silver award was for the best promotional video (opening video for PHA 2022).

What is truly remarkable is that we won against much bigger associations with greater resources and professional advertising agencies. For example, our opening video was up against the School Nutrition Association and the ALS Association.

These awards wouldn’t be possible without the commitment of our members. We owe you a huge thanks for repeatedly answering the call to share your stories with PHA. You generously and courageously share your challenges and triumphs in living with pulmonary hypertension for our website, newsletters, Pathlight magazine, videos, advocacy and fundraising campaigns, and every day in support group meetings and Facebook groups.

Your experiences help ordinary people, health care professionals, researchers and policy makers understand what it truly means to live with PH. By sharing your stories, you help more people get diagnosed earlier. You help others navigate insurance challenges and access appropriate, affordable treatment. You help caregivers and family members find comfort, camaraderie and support. You help researchers understand the reality of the disease they seek to understand, treat and cure. And just this year, your stories convinced lawmakers that the Safe Step needs move beyond a small committee to the full Congress.

These awards are as much for you as for PHA’s talented staff, who work to spread your stories through our website, newsletters and social media. We are moved by your experiences and by your commitment to helping PHA fulfill its mission to extend and improve the lives of those affected by PH.

Making an impact through leadership
As you may know, we need everyone in the PHA community to help us fulfill our mission, not just the patient and caregiver community.

That’s why we’re hosting a virtual town hall for health care professionals on Wednesday, July 12. We want to show our professional members the opportunities PHA offers to further understanding of PH and help you make the most of your professional membership.

Joining me in the conversation will be Anna Hemnes, M.D., chair, PHA Scientific Leadership Council; Tony Lahnston, chair, PHA Board of Trustees; Kim Jackson, R.N., chair, PH Professional Network; Delphine Yung, M.D., chair, PHA Accreditation and Registry Committee; and Joel Wirth, M.D., immediate past chair, PHA Accreditation and Registry Committee.

We’ll share PHA’s legislative priorities for 2023 and how professionals can make an impact, such as visiting congressional offices on PHPN Symposium Advocacy Day. Health care professionals’ stories are just as meaningful as those from patients, whether you share anecdotes about patient care or expertise on disease progression or treatment options.

We value the insight and experience our professional members bring to the table. We’ll talk about the opportunities for you to get involved with PHA to further the knowledge and education of your fellow medical professionals.

The town hall also will share information about how to apply for PHA research grants and or access PHA Registry data for your research. Finally, we’ll update you on the progress of the PHCC program, which has over 80 centers and is expanding.

We hope this town hall will help you learn about the benefits of professional PHA members and the impact you can make through your leadership. I encourage all PH health care professionals to join the conversation.

Whether you’re a patient, caregiver or health care professional, please continue sharing your stories with PHA and questions with me. As I always, I look forward to hearing from you.

With gratitude and respect,