In
late 2003, PHA came to a crossroads.
We had just come through our fifth year of extraordinary growth
- a half decade that had quickly taken us from a $150,000 annual
budget to the passage of a 2004 budget of well over $2,000,000.
As we celebrated the new programs and research opportunities
your generosity has allowed us to develop and support…we
also saw a challenge.
Through careful and necessary planning, PHA's Board of Trustees
had evolved from a hands-on board that did all the work of the
organization to an oversight body that makes sure funds are being
watched carefully and that we stay true to our mission.
The challenge was making sure that PHA never loses the strength
of YOU.
The resulting pledge is well worth noting:
As PHA continues to expand
the fight against this illness, we will never forget that it
was four women around a kitchen table,
making a choice and giving of themselves that brought us to where
we are today…and will also lead us into a better future.
I have been struck by how many people ask how PHA grew so quickly.
The answer seems so simple:
- Our cause is critically important.
- We have never forgotten the power of individuals to make
a difference.
- We have organized ourselves to coordinate and harness
that power for the good of all those living with
pulmonary hypertension.
As you read the pages
of this report, I hope you will agree.
Sincerely,
Rino Aldrighetti, President
email
