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Right Heart Blog

The PHA community is a network of people with diverse backgrounds and experiences living their best lives. PHA highlights those experiences through inspiring first-person stories in our Right Heart Blog.

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PH Community Stories

Dislaying 82 — 90 of 173
  • PAH Trial Participants Inspire Doctor’s Passion for PH Research Nadine-Al-Naamani_wide
    PAH Trial Participants Inspire Doctor’s Passion for PH Research

    Nadine Al-Naamani, M.D., was inspired to become a doctor after growing up in Beirut during the civil war in Lebanon. She knew then that she wanted to help people around her. Today, she treats people with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and other serious lung conditions at Penn Medicine and conducts PH research. She is an assistant professor of medicine at University of Pennsylvania Hospital, a Pulmonary Hypertension Association-accredited PH Care Center. She originally shared her story with Pathlight, PHA’s quarterly member magazine.

  • Health Care Exec Breathes Easily After PTE Surgery Angela_Donovan_RHB_square
    Health Care Exec Breathes Easily After PTE Surgery

    Angela Donovan began experiencing shortness of breath in 2019. After she moved for a new career, her symptoms worsened. A work visit to an urgent care clinic led to her chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension diagnosis. She shares her story for Blood Clot Awareness Month.

  • Finding Hope and Inspiration Among Peers Mesha_guilloty_wide
    Finding Hope and Inspiration Among Peers

    Mesha Guilloty wasn’t diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH) until a decade after her symptoms began. Mesha’s story originally appeared in the December 2021 issue of Pathlight, PHA’s member magazine.

  • Focusing on the Small Things to Breathe Easier DonnaKayHutchison_square
    Focusing on the Small Things to Breathe Easier

    Moving to Oregon after her pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnosis helped Donna Kay Hutchinson refocus on simple things in life: watching the ocean, taking drives in the neighborhood, volunteering at an art gallery. As she made relaxation a priority, her chronic pain and PH seemed to improve. Her doctors noticed too.

  • Finding Hope in the PH Community and Research Studies MorganNuchols_Baby
    Finding Hope in the PH Community and Research Studies

    Morgan Nuchols began to show signs of PH as a baby. Today the 28-year-old participates in the Pulmonary Hypertension Association’s Generation Hope Facebook Support Group for young adults. She also participates in research studies to in hopes of finding a genetic link between pulmonary hypertension and congenital diaphragmatic hernia. She also participates in research studies to in hopes of finding a genetic link between pulmonary hypertension and congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

  • PAH Diagnosis Leads to New Outlook on Life WendyMcBride_Wide
    PAH Diagnosis Leads to New Outlook on Life

    A month after her diagnosis, Wendy McBride was sitting in her living room attached to a central line. Despite a five-year prognosis, she chose to live rather than die. Her life changed for the better as she learned to cope through diet, exercise and a quit-feeling-sorry-for-yourself attitude. She discovered a strength she never knew she had.

  • Former Teacher Educates Professionals About the Patient Experience missyStorm
    Former Teacher Educates Professionals About the Patient Experience

    After a 42-year education career, Missy Storm volunteers for the Pulmonary Hypertension Association and the hospital where she underwent a pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in 2018. She started by sharing her experiences with medical staff fulfilling their continuing education requirements.

  • Spreading PH Awareness for 20-Plus Years

    Elise Zwicky’s greatest fear at diagnosis was that she wouldn’t see her children grow up. More than 20 years later, she has hope that she and her husband will grow old together, watching their grandchild grow up.

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