PHA AND THE PANDEMIC

SUPPORTING AND INFORMING THE COMMUNITY

Pulmonary hypertension (PH), or high blood pressure of the lungs, is a rare, life-threatening disorder. Because people with PH are high risk for COVID-19 complications, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) developed a pandemic response early in 2020.

We launched the online resource center COVID-19 and Pulmonary Hypertension soon after the Centers for Disease Control announced the first case of community spread. It quickly became the most popular area of our site. It features information on treatment access, financial assistance and risks for people with underlying health conditions, as well as tips to maintain health and digitally connect with others in the PH community.

In April 2020, we launched “PHA Connects: COVID-19 and Your Health,” a series of webinars, Facebook Live Q&As, virtual community gatherings and mailings to people without email addresses. The programming was intended to provide educational, social and support opportunities after we canceled PHA 2020 International PH Conference and Scientific Sessions.

Topics included emergency planning, managing stress and anxiety, exercise and pulmonary rehab, and preparing for telemedicine appointments. We also hosted an online fashion show and awards ceremony, two popular conference features.

Our pandemic response continued throughout the year. The December 2020 issue of Pathlight, our quarterly member magazine, was dedicated to pandemic coverage. It featured stories of hope, resilience and health from patients, caregivers and health care professionals.

PHA’s commitment to inform and support the PHA community gained national recognition. Our 2020 PH Awareness Month campaign, disCOVER PH, received a gold EXCEL Award from the Associations, Media & Publishing Network. Our pandemic response won a bronze.