March is National Nutrition month, and again the Dietitians of Canada have chosen Nourish to Flourish  as the theme, highlighting “highlights the profound connections between food and overall well-being, emphasizing the transformative role of nutrition in our lives”. It’s a good reminder that the everyday choices we make around food can have a big impact on how we feel. Nutrition can be top of mind for people with pulmonary hypertension, who often need to keep a low-sodium di

Two companies have announced the results of clinical trials of drugs for pulmonary arterial hypertension recently, neatly illustrating successful and unsuccessful results. Last week, Gossamer Bio announced that their drug, seralutinib, failed to meet the primary endpoint of its phase 3 PROSERA clinical trial . Gossamer’s stock price dropped precipitously. Interestingly, one of the reasons the study failed may have been an unusually good response to the placebo in some locatio

Pulmonary hypertension patients are at risk of heart failure, and conversely, heart failure patients are at risk of developing pulmonary hypertension. This Heart Month , we’re posting tips for keeping your heart strong and healthy. We’re learning more about how important social connections are—not only for our mental health, but for our physical health too! Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke . Social connections are so important for

What would you say to yourself at the moment everything changed? In this honest and inspiring talk, Derek Henderson of Toronto  reflects on what he would tell his newly diagnosed self after learning he had CTEPH  in 2012. From the shock of no longer being able to bike to undergoing PEA (PTE) surgery  and adapting to lifelong blood thinners, Derek shares a journey shaped by resilience, humor, and hard-earned perspective. Guided by his motto — “If you’re going to be a duck, lea

Pulmonary hypertension patients are at risk of heart failure, and conversely, heart failure patients are at risk of developing pulmonary hypertension. This Heart Month , we’re posting tips for keeping your heart strong and healthy. Everyone knows that exercise is good for your heart, and research shows it’s generally safe for pulmonary hypertension patients . But did you know that recent research  found that switching up your exercise, instead of always doing the same workout

Living Grief Like many of you, I was raised in a culture where death was darkness, morose and devastating.  When we wore black and spoke in hushed tones around the topic, bit never directly about it. IT... the word was taboo. Analogies of "going to sleep forever" and "crossing over to a better place" made the subject unattainable.  My arm’s length relationship with death shrouded its mystery in a dark cloak. And then, at 37 years young, I learned that PAH was taking over. I h

Pulmonary hypertension patients are at risk of heart failure, and conversely, heart failure patients are at risk of developing pulmonary hypertension. This Heart Month, we’re posting tips for keeping your heart strong and healthy. Congenital heart disease is a defect present at birth that affects the structure of the heart. In some cases, blood leaks from the left side of the heart to the right side, which increases blood flow in the pulmonary arteries and lungs. This can res

Pulmonary hypertension patients are at risk of heart failure, and conversely, heart failure patients are at risk of developing pulmonary hypertension. This Heart Month, we’re posting tips for keeping your heart strong and healthy. Many pulmonary hypertension patients need to eat a low-salt diet, which helps with heart health. Switching to lower-sodium foods in today’s food environment can be tough! So many packaged and processed foods are high in sodium. One good tip is to fo

February is Black History Month in Canada. We join Canadian Heritage  in honouring Black excellence in Canada and celebrating the remarkable contributions that Black Canadians make to Canadian society every day. We’ve known for a long time that Black people in Canada don’t receive equitable health care , and as a result have worse health outcomes. Systemic racism in the health system—which doesn’t imply that individual health care providers are racist, but that the system as

Today I received the first phone call. An unknown doctor. Emotionless and professional, her question strikes quickly to the task at hand: "I have received paperwork. Tell me what's going on." Okay, big breath, I've been preparing for this... and yet I am disarmed by the sudden line of questioning from a stranger. Something deep within propels me forward and I find the simple words to define my truth:  "I have been living with pulmonary arterial hypertension for 5 years. IV me

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)  is rare, serious—and too often misunderstood. In Season 6 of The eXpand Podcast , advocates and medical experts explore why this life-threatening illness is frequently misdiagnosed, how it reshapes lives, and what new treatments offer for the future. Across three powerful episodes , the series reveals the personal, emotional, and clinical sides of PAH—bringing attention to an “invisible illness” that deserves to be seen, heard, and bette

In late 2025, the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute (PVRI) brought together people with pulmonary hypertension (PH) from around the world to create a series of short videos focused on empowerment—told by patients, for patients. Canada’s own Jane Sernoskie is featured in the video “Become a patient expert and advocate.” Thank you, Jane, for sharing your voice, and congratulations on being part of this international initiative. "Living with pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a

Sometimes the challenges we face in life lead us to make a difference in the world. When we were younger, our mom was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension. This sudden change in our lives at such a young age put us in a position where we had to develop a growth mindset and focus on caring for our mom, as the way she has cared for us ever since we came into this world. Seeing her fight this battle every day when she was struggling to do everyday tasks such as walking up the s

Visiting family or friends out of town is one of the joys of the holiday season. If you’re living with pulmonary hypertension, travelling may take a bit more planning, but with the right preparation, it can still be safe, comfortable, and enjoyable. A little foresight can go a long way toward helping you focus on what really matters: spending time with the people you love. Before you head out, here are some important things to keep in mind: Nutrition:  Finding lower-sodium op

December 5th is International Volunteer Day , we pause to celebrate the incredible people who are the heartbeat of our community: our volunteers . Whether you're living with pulmonary hypertension (PH), supporting a loved one, or simply passionate about making a difference—your dedication, time, and compassion are what make PHA Canada’s work possible. From running support groups and organizing local events, to serving on committees and sharing your lived experience, every act

For the past two days, PHA Canada Board member Beth Slaunwhite and I were in Ottawa enjoying the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD) conference "Co-Creating Canadian Rare". Pulmonary arterial hypertension and CTEPH are, of course, rare diseases, but there are so many others. Individually, each disease or disorder is rare, but collectively they're quite common: somewhere between one in ten and one in twelve Canadians has a rare disease. The first day dealt largely

One way PHA Canada helps improve the diagnosis and management of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is by reaching out and collaborating with healthcare professionals (HCPs). HCPs play a key role in ensuring that PH is recognized and investigated promptly, so patients receive the appropriate care and treatment, regardless of the type of PH they have.   PHA Canada has built strong, long-term relationships with PH expert centres across Canada. These centres mainly treat people with Gr

On Saturday, October 25th, I attended the Scleroderma Association of BC’s 2025 AGM and conference. For those unfamiliar - like myself a few weeks ago - scleroderma and pulmonary hypertension have a very interesting relationship, which is why PHA Canada usually has a booth set up at this annual meeting. Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that causes hardening and/or thickening of the skin and internal organs. Sound familiar? That’s because scleroderma patients are at risk of

“I definitely believe there’s significant value in the right heart cath at diagnosis. It’s known to be the gold standard for diagnosing pulmonary hypertension, providing the most accurate measurement of pulmonary artery pressures to determine if a patient has pulmonary hypertension.”
-- Nicole Dempsey For people living with pulmonary hypertension, right heart catheterizations are a necessary chapter in everyone's individual story. What do patients value about right heart cat

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to heart failure -- Group 2 PH -- has, until now, been treated by treating the underlying heart failure. However, a recent Phase 2 clinical trial, called CADENCE, tried treating PH due to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) with sotatercept. Phase 2 trials are small trials which look at the safety of a drug and at whether it seems to work. Full data have not been published yet, but CADENCE successfully met its primary endpoin