The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) is recognizing both World PH Day and Lupus Awareness Month throughout the month of May. Lupus is a long-term autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. Symptoms include inflammation, swelling and damage to the joints, skin, kidneys, blood, heart and lungs. One of the many complications of lupus is pulmonary hypertension (PH). Up to 5% of lupus patients also have PH. Explore more about the relation between lupus and PH by downloading PHA’s free resource PH & Lupus.

For World PH Day and Lupus Awareness Month, PHA’s The Right Heart blog shares a story about a woman who is both a “Lupus Warrior” and a PHighter. Bernadette Bonifacio of San Francisco, Calif., is no stranger to the hardships of dealing with a rare disease. Faced with two rare and life-threatening diseases, Bernadette explains how interacting with other individuals in the lupus and PH communities, focusing on her accomplishments despite her illnesses and having fun despite her circumstances, gives her perspective that helps her retain her individuality. Read more.

Continue to follow PHA on Facebook (facebook.com/PulmonaryHypertensionAssociation), Twitter (@PHAssociation), Instagram (@PHAssociation), and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/pulmonary-hypertension-association/) to catch the most up-to-date information on World PH Day and Lupus Awareness Month. Use #WorldPHDay2019, #LupusAwarenessMonth and #PHAssociation on social media to join the conversation.

Bernadette Bonifacio