COVERED Special Business Edition | Page 11

What is pulmonary hypertension? Pulmonary hypertension is a rare lung disorder in which the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs, called pulmonary arteries become narrowed, making it difcult for blood to ow through the vessels. As a result, the blood pressure in these arteries rises far above normal levels. Shaakira Bhodania, mother of 4, 3 children with PH, one died almost 4 yrs ago. She is also an entrepreneur & co-owner of Bake- it-Yourself and supporter/promoter of the Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) awareness campaign. “The pain you experience during labour is nothing compared to the pain of losing a child… The heartache is a physical pain, the emptiness, the hopelessness… There is nothing in this world that can prepare you for it. It changes you. You may go on with your life but nothing is ever the same. A piece of you is gone forever.” How can you help? Any money raised for PH Kids SA will go directly towards two main purposes : education and research. Education is aimed at raising awareness of PH in children throughout South Africa. Not only to the public but to provide information to doctors to better diagnose the condition. PH kids SA has a passion and will work with a network of doctors, hospitals and senior researchers to fund the necessary departments to conduct basic , clinical and translational research. PH kids SA will be setting up a grant system that will be closely monitored in order to ensure the money is given to the appropriate senior researchers in the eld. Humayra, my little girl who has been diagnosed with PH ph_kids_sa #throughawarenesscomeschange #phkidssa