On the 11th of November the Dutch Pulmonary Hypertension Association held a remarkably successful Information Day on pulmonary hypertension, with the central theme being “20 years moving forward.” The auditorium was filled to the last seat, with 160 participants.
The day started with the opening remarks by the Chair, Ms Miriam Kap, a nurse specialist at Erasmus MC, who welcomed the audience and set the tone for a day full of information and sharing experiences. Following that, the President of PHA Netherlands, Louise Bouman, took the audience on a journey through the history of the association, from its foundation to the present day.
The morning continued with two captivating presentations, seamlessly connected to each other. Dr. Thomas Koudstaal, a pulmonologist at Erasmus MC, provided insights into the process of drug research and approval, from start to finish. Prof. Anton Vonk Noordegraaf, a pulmonologist at Amsterdam UMC, then shared the latest developments in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
After a refreshing chair yoga session provided by stoelyoga-nederland.nl, a delightful lunch awaited the participants, providing an opportunity for informal conversations and the sharing of experiences.
In the afternoon, participants had the opportunity to attend one of two engaging workshops. The first workshop provided information on the Personal Budget (PGB), conducted by the Association for Personal Budget Holders (Per Saldo). The second workshop, led by Dr. Sanne Boerman and nurse specialist Ingrid Verheul, from St. Antonius Hospital, offered a basic explanation of pulmonary hypertension.
The day concluded in an unforgettable way with a performance by Astrid van der Laar from ‘Laugh on the Day.’ Astrid humorously summarized the day by singing two songs for us. Afterwards, there was time for post-event discussions over snacks and drinks, bringing the day to a close in a friendly and informal manner.
This day of information, inspiration, and togetherness, not only expanded knowledge about pulmonary hypertension but also strengthened the sense of community. We reflected on a valuable day where, together with all attendees, we acknowledged the progress made in the past 20 years in the fight against pulmonary hypertension. Here’s to many more years of collaboration and progress!
Many thanks to Louise Boumann, President of PHA Netherlands, for this summary and the translation into English!