Back & forth...& worth it

Sometimes, it's worth the jet lag...

I just got back from a four day trip to Barcelona, Spain...well, maybe a little less with the time in the air.  The itinerary included a presentation to the leaders of PHA Europe, work on a global survey of PH patient and caregiver depression and anxiety issues, getting to know a new company in the field and attendance at the European Respiratory Society Conference.

The PHA Europe Annual General Assembly was a thrill for me to attend.  I remember just a few years ago that this confederation was just an idea.  Now- in Castelldefels, a beautiful beach suburb of Barcelona - it is clear how far that idea has come.  Representatives from PH associations in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and Switzerland were meeting to discuss ways they can better work together and help each other grow.

Many of the leaders, including PHA Europe's president, Gerry Fischer (Austria), and Vice-President, Pisana Ferrari (Italy) and Melanie Gallant-Dewarin (France) are old friends who have attended PHA Conferences and who we've worked with on many projects.

I was honored to be invited to give a presentation about PHA in the U.S.  As I spoke and heard the questions during and after, it was clear that, while we may speak different languiages and live in different places our cause is the same...and that the cooperative spirit and common purpose that has made progress possible and rapid in the U.S. is the backbone of growth in Europe, as well.

We look forward to our continuing and  growing partnership.