PH Association Seeks Patient Videos, Photos for its Virtual Fashion Show

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) is inviting the patient community to participate in its virtual fashion show, set for Aug. 1, as part of its “PHA Connects: Summer PHling.”

The fashion show, which has been featured for years at the PHA’s International PH Conference and Scientific Sessions, seeks to empower the community by encouraging patients to show how they cleverly conceal or proudly show off their oxygen cannulas, mobility devices, and medication pumps.

The end goal of the show is to see how patients transform these medical devices into symbols of strength and hope, the PHA wrote in its announcement.

Although the in-person catwalk planned for this year’s PHA 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the association is hosting a virtual fashion show and urging patients to participate by submitting photos or short videos featuring their fashion outfits.

Photos should be taken using a smartphone or high-quality digital camera, preferably by someone other than the patient, in a room or environment with strong natural light where the outfit does not blend with the background. The use of flash is not recommended. Videos should be short, lasting no more than 10 to 20 seconds, and should be filmed horizontally (landscape mode). Photos can be taken horizontally or vertically.

Additional tips on how to take high-quality photos using a smartphone can be found here. Detailed recommendations and technical guidelines on how to prepare and upload photos and videos for submission can be found here.

In addition to submitting digital photos and short videos, participants must also include a description of their outfit, along with a short bio, and fill an online form to formalize their participation. Submissions must be completed by midnight EDT on July 8.

Participation in the virtual fashion show is only open to pulmonary hypertension patients. However, their carers, family members, and friends may also appear with them in their photos and videos. In cases where family members or friends cannot physically be with patients in the photos and videos due to the current pandemic, they may submit their own photos separately, indicating that they are also part of the patient’s application.