Living with Pulmonary Hypertension

According to Strathroy Age Dispatch, Everleigh Pierce turned five years old. Two days later, her school, Caradoc Public School in Mt. Brydges, had planned a special event to celebrate her birthday.

The school was decorated and the hallways looked like a scene taken from a Western University’s homecoming day, as all children in the school were wearing purple shirts in honor of their classmate.

“Is this all for me, mommy?” Everleigh asked her mom, Kerry, with a huge smile on her face, as they both entered the school.

“Is this really all for me?” she asked again in disbelief. “Wow! This is the best day ever,” she added.

For Kerry and Craig Pierce, like any parents, seeing their daughter turn five was a special day; but for the Pierce family, who live in West Elgin, Ont., this milestone was also extremely important because, unfortunately, they don’t know if they will be able to see Everleigh turn six.

Three years ago, Everleigh was diagnosed with a rare disease called pulmonary hypertension (PH). There are approximately 5,000 known cases of people living with the disease in all Canada, but the Pulmonary Hypertension Association of Canada (PHAC) estimates that number is probably twice as big, but half of the people have yet to be properly diagnosed.

As of today, there’s no cure for the disease – the life expectancy of someone diagnosed with PH who receives proper treatment is about seven years. Two years ago, doctors gave Everleigh three to five years.

Learn more about pediatric pulmonary hypertension: http://bit.ly/1NYMxm8

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