FRESNO - The Pulmonary Hypertension Association will hold its first O2 Breathe Walk on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Railroad Park, 399 W. Alluvial in Clovis. Registration begins at 9 a.m. The opening ceremony takes place at 10 a.m. and the walk begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by the closing ceremony at 11:30 a.m.
The O2 Breathe Walk, formerly known as the “Six-Minute Marathon,” aims to increase awareness of pulmonary hypertension (PH). PH is a devastating condition without a cure, which results in high blood pressure in the lungs. Over time, the heart becomes weakened and enlarged. Arteries in the lungs can narrow, which leads to less oxygen in the blood. Patients with pulmonary hypertension often struggle to breathe and even six minutes of activity can feel like running a marathon.
Approximately 20 years ago, there were no treatments for PH and the outlook for patients was grim. Today, many advances have been made and effective, state-of-the-art treatments are available in Fresno. The UCSF Fresno-affiliated Pulmonary Hypertension Program, established in 2008 and based at Community Regional Medical Center, specializes in the diagnosis and management of patients with PH.
Over the past eight years, the program has grown steadily and cares for hundreds of patients in the San Joaquin Valley. It is the only PH program in the region and includes innovative treatments and has an active support network through the Pulmonary Hypertension Association.
To learn more about Pulmonary Hypertension, go to the PHA website at PHAssociation.org. For more information on the O2 Breathe Walk, please call (415) 361-8700 or visit www.o2breathe.org/CentralCal.
