May 5, 2012: First World PH Day

In 2010, Juan Fuertes and Irene Delgado of the Asociación Nacional de Hipertensión Pulmonar (ANHP) began a quest.

They believed that it was time for the world to recognize pulmonary hypertension – and they believed that a World PH Day was the way to do it.  Like any new idea, at first there was skepticism but they continued to push forward…and soon people began to understand the possibilities.

They picked a day that has great significance to the Spanish PH community and will soon become a marker for our community worldwide.  May 5 is the date of the first recorded pediatric PH death in Spain.  That was 30 years ago.  Now that date will become a marker for greater global cooperation in the fight against this disease.

Five important goals have been set for World PH Day and endorsed by 34 organizations:

·       Increase awareness and disseminate knowledge of the disease to facilitate early diagnosis. Early diagnosis is important in decreasing premature PH related deaths.

·       Promote access to specific healthcare and treatments that increase quality of life and life expectancy.

·       Promote the concept of treating PH patients as a whole, which includes treating their physical,   psychological and social issues.

·       Unify international criteria for the recognition of Centers of Excellence in PH.

·       Promote research that will help find a cure for PH.

A program has been set for May 5 in Madrid.  It is not just an occasion.  It is an opportunity that I have no doubt we will grow in future years.

This year we can all begin to make World PH Day a reality.  At PHA, we will soon be asking you to adjust your Facebook status to recognize the Day...and in coming days we'll be announcing a lot of other opportunities to engage with our partners throughout the world as we work to make World PH Day a day with a purpose.