Tina Barley of Hamilton, Alabama, submitted the winning theme. Her idea was chosen from more than 100 ideas from more than 80 people. PHA 2022 is set for June 10-12, 2022, in Atlanta.
Tina’s daughter Caitlin and their experience at PHA 2008 in Houston, Texas, inspired her theme. Caitlin had pulmonary hypertension (PH) for five years before she died in 2010. She was 15.
“I was so glad she was able to go to the Conference,” Tina says. “We felt so alone and so disconnected before we went. We met so many people there and it gave us so much hope.”
Soon after Caitlin’s passing, Tina connected with a fellow PH mom in a parent chat. The woman’s daughter Shaye Wallace was the same age as Caitlin when she was diagnosed. Tina says they just clicked, and Shaye was meant to come into their life for a reason.
Tina and her family keep in touch with Shaye, who turned 21 this year, and have visited her in Houston. Tina plans to give her contest winnings, which include a $25 Amazon gift card, a one-year PHA membership and PHA swag, to Shaye.
“We’re in this together. You need that community of hope and support to get you going,” Tina says.
PHA stakeholders chose “PHacing the Future Together” as the winning contest entry because of its message of unity after the pandemic. The PHA 2022 theme will be featured on PHA’s website, in email campaigns, social media, the program book and on-site signage.
