Let me breathe...

There is so much happening during PH Awareness Month.

...And it's happening all around the world.  Today, I received a Facebook friend request from a young man in South Korea.  When I took a look at his page, I was amazed to see a promotion of PHA's upcoming (Nov. 10) webinar - Improving Patient Outcomes and Early Diagnosis: An Examination of the REVEAL Registry - right at the top!  The presenters will include:

• C. Gregory Elliot, MD, Intermountain Health Center (Facilitator)
• Vallerie McLaughlin, MD, University of Michigan
• Lynn Brown, MD, PhD, Intermountain Health Center
• Richard Channick, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital
• David Badesch, MD, University of Colorado at Denver

Also today, Megan Mallory, who leads our Publications Department, got a lovely note from the Co-Leader of the Toronto Chapter of PHA Canada.  Ruth Dolan, who had attended a webinar on Expression of Well Being led by Megan and Janet Stone, wrote:

I thoroughly enjoyed this webinar and do look forward to attending more in the future. I mentioned during that session that I would be participating in an experience at our local library called "Get a Life- Human book Festival" and I said I would get back to you about the experience so you might choose to share it with other PH Friends.

It was an amazing experience and for me an opportunity to share my PH Journey with my youngest daughter Emily, with those who came to the library and "took me off the shelf" to "read" me.

My "Book" was called "Let Me Breathe". just like the PH Song written by my brother, J. Paul Adams for his niece and dedicated to her and all PH patients [see below]

There were about 7 human books at our local library branch and there were four libraries through out Simcoe county participating, one for the four Saturday's in October. For me it was yet another opportunity to make people aware of PH in a very personal way.

About 30 min. was allowed for each reader but we always seemed to spend at least 40 -45 min. together; as my reading sessions had a break between each one I was able to spend the extra time with the readers. My first reader was an author and a very caring listener. She has since asked me if I would like to write my story to be included in a book of other women's stories....very tempting.


I took our PH Canada and Toronto PH brochures along to give to my "readers' so they had something to take away and do further research about PH. The local media was also at the even and interviewed some of the "Books".

Although it was a "small" audience with which to share our PH Journey it was one that I would gladly do again because of the personal nature of the sharing and I think and the impact it had on the "reader". I feel that just as when I read a great book I love to share it with friends, I also feel that my readers will hopefully share the experience of reading "Let Me Breathe" with their friends and thus making even more people aware of Pulmonary Hypertension.

On another note:

Our Toronto PH Fundraiser and awareness campaign is taking place this Saturday. We have the Let Me Breathe Vegas Night and are also using that occasion to gather real and virtual hand prints that will go on a large banner or several I hope , to our capital in Ottawa on the 29th of November. Feel free to add your hand print to our efforts by using the link below from our Canadian Website.
http://www.phacanada.ca/index.php?cID=975


All the best to you and to all our American PH Friends. I am looking forward to seeing you again in Orlando in 2012

Here is Let Me Breathe, written by J Paul Adams, Ruth's brother...



It can also be found on the PHA Toronto website.