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

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

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

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

Kate Salonga represents PHA Canada at the 2025 PH Professional Network Symposium hosted by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (US)....

PHA Canada is proud to collaborate with the Sickboy Podcast (CBC) on a special episode of The Breakdown: “ From Six Months to Tears of...

Taking in stories over this Disability Pride Month has left me both humbled and hopeful. A few weeks ago, I started doing some work for a...

I was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in June 2024. In hindsight, knowing the symptoms as I do now, I might have had...

Hello. My name is Denise Rumbolt and I’d like to tell you about my daughter, Candice.  Like any mother, I’ll tell you she’s beautiful,...

My name is Cindy Hayman, and I have been living with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) for the past seven years. I am classified as a...

I was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension in 2019.  After tests & procedures, it was determined I likely had group 2 and 3 PH. Group 2...

The 2024 Pulmonary Hypertension Patient Symposium in Calgary was my first rodeo, as it were. I started dating my partner Tarya in the...

Angel Ouellet One day when I was six years old, I saw a favourite teacher at the end of the corridor at school and ran to give them a...

Rose Jardim When I was 50 years old, I cut myself while shaving my legs. And then the cut just didn’t heal. It developed into a deep...

Tarya Morel Looking back, I’ve had difficulties with shortness of breath for as long as I can remember, but it never really occurred to...

Blog 4/6 - Getting there Guillaume and I love road-tripping! Ever since we met in 2001, we have frequently hit the road in search of...

Blog 3/6 - Easter Seals When a family welcomes a child,  many will say that "it takes a village"; I would say the same when someone...

Blog 2/6 - PLANNING Planning is key, as long ahead as possible. I started in December 2023 for a trip in June 2024, and worked on this...

Introduction: Blog 1/6 We are the Belliveau-Thibeault Family from Dieppe, New Brunswick.   This year we received an opportunity to...

I was a healthy and fit 59-year-old woman living in Winnipeg, MB, at the start of 2020. Then I started feeling like something was wrong....