LETTER from Leadership

When 2020 began, we were working hard to plan an actionpacked conference, filled with educational opportunities and emotional connections. But the COVID-19 pandemic upended life as we knew it, transforming the way the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) serves, supports and communicates with the pulmonary hypertension (PH) community.

The transformation began early in the year, as we monitored the alarming transmission rate of the new virus. A day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the first case of community spread in the United States, PHA launched the online resource center COVID-19 and Pulmonary Hypertension.

As scientific and health care leaders urged widespread public precautions, PHA made the difficult decision to cancel PHA 2020 International PH Conference and Scientific Sessions. We quickly

launched the wellness series “PHA Connects: COVID-19 and Your Health” to provide the educational, social and support programming we knew the community would miss without Conference.

As the world adapted to masking, distancing and business shutdowns, the PH community navigated new challenges related to oxygen and therapy access. Patients and health care providers suddenly had to manage diagnostic tests and clinical visits in the world of telehealth. And many pulmonologists and respiratory therapists were on the front lines of treating seriously ill COVID-19 patients.

Amid the changes, as many mourned losses isolated from loved ones, the PH community lost a cherished member, friend and leader. Pat Paton, one of the four women who founded PHA in 1991 around a kitchen table in Florida, died in July 2020, just six months after the death of her husband Jerry.

Our efforts to serve and support the PH community throughout the pandemic wouldn’t have been possible without Pat’s vision. We proudly remained patient-focused and driven as our staff, volunteers and leadership transformed the ways we educate, inform and connect the community. Despite the pandemic-related challenges, we continued to fulfill our mission to extend and improve the lives of those affected by PH. The PHA 2020 Annual Report highlights our accomplishments in a most unusual year.

Our 2020 achievements may look different than those of previous years, but we’ve learned new ways to shape our work and light the path forward. As we continue to adapt to life in a pandemic, PHA marks its 30th anniversary in 2021.

Our vision for a world without PH, empowered by hope, has evolved over the past 30 years, and it will continue to evolve as research unveils new understanding and treatment of PH. As we move forward, we acknowledge the patients, caregivers, family, volunteers, fundraisers, support group leaders and health care professionals who inspire and make possible our work.

CEO, Pulmonary Hypertension Association

Chair, Pulmonary Hypertension Association Board of Trustees