The Alliance for Pulmonary Hypertension introduced its 2025 “Patients Empowering Patients” (PEP) program, designed to harness the power of peer-to-peer support, on May 5, 2025, World Pulmonary Hypertension Day. The name “PEP Talks” is a playful nod to the acronym of the “PEP” program, and it embodies the encouraging and motivational spirit of traditional pep talks.
As we close 2025, we are proud to reflect on the impact of our PEP Talk program featuring 18 extraordinary individuals from 14 countries across 4 continents—14 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients, 2 chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients 1 caregiver, 1 heart failure patient–who opened their hearts to share what living with a severe and debilitating disease truly means.
Program impact
Our first 14 PEP Talks have had 3.000+ views on YouTube and 1.000+ interactions (likes, comments, shares) across our LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook pages (the last 4 PEP talks were released in December and we do not have statistically significant metrics for them yet).
The videos are online on YouTube and on this platform for ongoing access, and transcripts are provided that can be translated in 40 languages.
What makes PEP Talks special?
- Authenticity over expertise – No medical jargon, just honest conversations about what works in daily life
- Global perspectives – From Vienna to Singapore, from Turkey to the USA, voices representing diverse pulmonary hypertension subtypes, ages, and treatment journeys
- Practical wisdom – From managing side effects and dealing with setbacks, to navigating pump therapy and life post-transplant
- Advocacy skills – Empowering our community with tools to write newsletters, create presentations, organize events, and raise awareness creatively
As we enter 2026, we’re grateful to every speaker who trusted us with their story and to every viewer who found comfort, courage, or a practical tip in these conversations.
AfPH activity report 2025 and business plan 2026 30.10.2025 DEF
PEP TALKS 2025
Personal advice and tips
- Just diagnosed with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, what to expect? – Değer Kesimoğlu, Turkey
- Living with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: How Creativity Became My Lifeline – Colleen Brunetti, USA
- How to deal with setbacks when you have Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension– Jen Cueva, USA
- How to tackle side effects of PAH medication – Değer Kesimoğlu, Turkey
- How to manage Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension like a long-term project – Ayotunde Omitogun, Nigeria
- Being a young student and diagnosed with CTEPH – Rishabh Radhakrishan, Singapore
- Living with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and pump therapy – Louise Bouman, The Netherlands
- Living with photopheresis post double lung transplant – Alena Adarbehova, Vienna/Abu Dhabi
- What I’d tell my newly diagnosed CTEPH self – Derek Henderson, Canada
- Ten easy things to lift your mood – Suzanne Lea, UK
- Cut the clutter, cultivate what really matters – Tania Cicognini, Italy
- Living and thriving after a double lung transplant– Pisana Ferrari, Italy
Advocacy competencies
- How to Write an Engaging Newsletter | Tips for Success – Wendy Vansteenkiste, Belgium
- Creating a Compelling Slide Presentation – Richard Mindham, UK
- How to write a simple business plan in 3 easy steps – Pisana Ferrari, Italy
- How to organize a PH children and family weekend – Mélanie Gallant Dewavrin, France
- How to use a mascot to raise awareness of PH – Ioanna Alysandratou, Greece
- From zero to hero: Speed Skating for PH awareness – Micheal Garrett, USA
PEP TALKS 2026
Building on our current presence we will strive to recruit speakers from underrepresented regions and, by allowing them to record their talks in their own language (previously English-only), (§) we aim to strengthen the program’s relevance and accessibility, ensuring patients worldwide can see themselves reflected in shared experiences while learning from approaches shaped by different healthcare systems, cultural contexts, and resources.
Footnotes
(§) We have run a pilot with Tania Cicognini, who recorded her talk in Italian, and where we added English subtitles.
