The Lantos Grants: now it's YOUR turn...

Our advances at PHA have always come as we have learned from each other.

PHA's annual Tom Lantos Innovation in Community Service Awards are a great example of that truth.

Up to ten creative ideas will be funded in 2012 with funding of up to $5,000 for each, thanks to an annual grant from Gilead.

If you've got a good idea that can help the PH community, read the guidelines and YOU can apply NOW!  The deadline is January 6.

•  In 2011, Colleen Brunetti's idea was to create a YouTube video discussing the value of PH e-mail and discussion groups.  With other patients, Melanie Kozak, Raye Bohn, Misty Lewis and Carol Morrison  as the on-screen talent and PH dad Steve Van Wormer as the narrator, Colleen's vision was funded through a Lantos grant and became reality.  It's now available online both as a value for the PH community and a best practice for others to build on.  You (and the rest of the world) can watch it now!
• Donna Lain and her daughter, Andrea, had an idea to to provide support for children diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension...Kari Bags named in honor of Donna's daughter, Kari Beth (9/9/1982 – 5/27/2003). The bags provide educational material about pulmonary hypertension and are filled with age appropriate toys, games, and stress reliever items. Kari Bags allow kids to have stuff to play with when they are required to be in the hospital for procedures and tests or admitted for infections or line problems. The bags are produced for three age groups and distributed through PH Centers and pediatric PH support groups.  So far, the new program has distributed over 150 Kari bags and were featured at this year's PHPN Symposium.
• In 2010, the first year of the Lantos Grant program, Donna Caterini received funding to fulfill her idea of building PH awareness through a clever "Huff & Puff" poster, featuring the Big Bad Wolf.  The 11x17 posters have been a big hit...distributed through support groups and available for free to any in our community who want to place them in local libraries or other public places.

And the Lantos grant program isn't restricted to the U.S.  It's available to the PH community throughout the world.  Read the story of the Spanish PH group, ANHP.  That's a picture of their meeting to educate psychologists about the needs of PH patients at the top of this page.

Now it's your turn!  If you have an idea you'd like to bring to reality for the good of the community, the Lantos grants are for you.  The application is not complex and the benfits for all who live with PH are great. 

We look forward to receiving your proposal.