More than 80 people gathered at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel on Saturday, Oct. 26, for the most recent PHA Connects: PHA Community Workshop.“The most memorable part was getting to watch the patients and their reactions,” said Naomi Habib, co-director of the Arizona Pulmonary Specialists PH Center of Excellence and workshop co-chair. “There was genuine curiosity and very advanced questions, which we always love answering. There were tears when patients empathized with the stories being shared. Most of all, there was joy and hope in the room as patients shared how far they had come.”Habib was one of eight health care professionals who spoke at the Phoenix event. Workshop sessions covered a range of topics including advanced care planning, PH and interstitial lung disease, PH 101 and a spotlight on PH research.The workshop brought together people with PH, caregivers, health care professionals and pharmaceutical representatives to learn about the latest in PH research in treatment. In addition to informational sessions, the workshop offered support groups and other networking opportunities for attendees to share experiences, connect with others and get their questions answered.Fundraising
The following day, members of the PH community gathered at Eldorado Park in Scottsdale for the second annual Phoenix O2breathe Walk. The event raised $5,361, surpassing last year’s fundraising total.The top fundraising teams were:- The Right Heart Allies: $2,050
- Team Dorothy: $428
- PHriends and PHamily PHight: $400
- Naomi Habib: $1,500
- Tina Kondos: $565
- Akshay Muralidhar: $550
