“I believe the more people understand how exactly PH works, the closer we can get to finding a cure.”
By Angela Starshadow
“Research. By understanding the deeper details of pulmonary hypertension (PH), I can understand what a cure and hope looks like. Even though I’m not a doctor or real researcher, I can understand the more complex concepts of PH, such as how signaling pathways work, endothelial and smooth muscle cells, macrophages and inflammation, and the basics of genetics as a potential cure using gene therapy for PH. I have a Google Chrome bookmarks folder dedicated to keeping track of what I’ve researched and other things related to PH. I believe the more people understand how exactly PH works, the closer we can get to finding a cure.
“You don’t have to be a doctor or a real researcher to understand the technical stuff, but doing so can give you a glimpse of what a cure and hope look like. I suggest everyone who has PH to learn more about their PH. It’ll be intimidating at first, but eventually, you’ll understand and see what hope looks like. Start with a simple diagram of the heart and lung [and} then ask your doctor questions about PH. Share your knowledge with the PH community once you feel ready. Our minds combined will find the cure.”
