Over the past 24 years, Sophia Esteves of San Antonio has found strength and community through the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. Last year, PHA named Esteves its 2024 Outstanding Support Group Leader. Esteves shares her story as the face of PHA’s spring fundraising campaign and in the upcoming issue of Pathlight magazine.
I was a 21-year-old single mother working two jobs and attending college full-time, determined to create a better life for my daughter. But my body began to fail me. Extreme fatigue, fluid retention and dizziness made even the simplest tasks feel impossible. After countless emergency room visits and a year of uncertainty, I learned I had pulmonary hypertension and had four years to live.
Hearing that prognosis at such a young age was devastating. I was terrified of what the future held for me and my daughter. But I refused to give up. I shifted my focus to what I could still do rather than what I couldn’t. That change in perspective helped me adapt to my new reality and find strength I didn’t know I had.
In 2015, I attended my first Pulmonary Hypertension Association conference in Florida. For the first time, I met others who understood the challenges of living with a rare disease like PH. That sense of community and understanding was lifechanging.
Inspired by the support I received, I became a PHA support group leader. Since then, I’ve been able to help others navigate their own PH journeys, offering hope and guidance to those facing the same uncertainty I once did.
Leading a support group has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It’s taught me the importance of connection and how sharing our stories can light the way for others. Last year, I was honored to receive the Outstanding Support Group Leader Award at PHA 2024 International PH Conference and Scientific Sessions. I am incredibly grateful for this recognition and the opportunity to use my voice to make a difference.
PHA’s work has been instrumental in my journey. Its resources, conferences and support networks have given me and so many others access to expert care and a community that truly understands. None of this would be possible without the generosity of donors who believe in PHA’s mission.
If my story resonates with you, I ask you to consider supporting PHA. Your gift ensures that no one faces PH alone and helps fund research, education, and support programs that change lives. Together, we can bring hope to those living with PH and move closer to a world without this disease.
