30 Days of PH: PH Changed My Life For The Better

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by Colleen Steele |

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Day 11 of 30 Days of PH⁣
Topic: PH Changed My Life For The Better ⁣

This is Sarah’s story @sizemore.37  

My name is Sarah Sizemore, I am 19 and I have Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). This severe and life-threatening illness progresses with time. My health has rapidly declined this past year. PH symptoms have increased, especially severe passing out spells. It is very hard watching my health decline more and more each day. But even though PH has majorly impacted my health in a negative way, I truly see that it has also changed my life for the better. 

Having PH has had a big impact on my life. The greatest blessing is being a part of this community. The amount of love and compassion that the PH community has for each other is extraordinary. The bond that we have is so pure, so incredible and so treasured. We are truly a family! Even though PH is such a hard illness, having the PH family and an amazing medical team stand beside me has changed my life. This illness has gifted me with the greatest and most meaningful relationships in my life, and I simply could not do this journey without them.  

The greatest thing that has come out of having Pulmonary Hypertension is believing that my sole purpose and passion in this life is to help mentor those within and beyond the PH community. I try to teach that you can live a wonderful life while fighting a chronic illness. You can enjoy each and every day by having a positive attitude. My true passion is to fight PH to the very end while spreading positivity and impacting others. I want to make a change while fighting this illness. PH has gifted me the opportunity to fulfill my purpose and then see the positive change in others. Making an impact in the PH community and beyond, that is truly the absolute greatest gift of all! 

So, even though it is a horrible illness, I thank Pulmonary Hypertension every single day for completely changing my life for the better! 

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About the Author

Colleen Steele avatar
Colleen Steele Colleen Steele was born and raised in New Jersey and received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Immaculata University in 1994. She lived in Washington State for 20 years with her husband and two sons. Her oldest child was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension when he was 8. At 14, he received a heart and double-lung transplant. Colleen returned to New Jersey in 2023 after her loving husband of almost 28 years passed away. Colleen’s love for writing, experience advocating for her son, and determination to spread PH awareness inspired her to become a columnist and forum moderator for Pulmonary Hypertension News in 2019. In her column, “Life as a Caregiver,” Colleen is open and honest about caring for her son, his PH experiences, and life post-transplant. Her ambition is to educate and inspire others facing similar challenges and encourage them, through her column, to share their journey. If you are a caregiver and would like to be interviewed, contact Colleen at [email protected].

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30DaysofPH, PH Awareness Month

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