NYC Food Truck Scene to Host Unique Concert Series to Raise Awareness about a Life-threatening Disease
Silver Spring, Md. (PRWEB) September 28, 2015 -- With the portable oxygen tank she lovingly calls, “Steve Martin,” at her side, YouTube sensation and award-winning singer-songwriter Chloe Temtchine will showcase her talent during an unconventional concert series to raise awareness about a life-threatening disease she battles daily. Temtchine has partnered with the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) for the 2015 Breathe Food Truck and Music Concert Series, four New York food truck performances that will take place throughout October.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH), often called, “the other high blood pressure,” is increased pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs that can lead to death from right-sided heart failure. Like many PH patients, Temtchine battled the disease unknowingly, receiving a number of misdiagnoses for five years. PH is often misdiagnosed as asthma and other less-threatening diseases, or misinterpreted as a sign that a patient is out of shape. It wasn’t until 2013 when Temtchine landed in the emergency room suffering from congestive right-heart failure that she learned she had PH. While in critical care, she wrote, “Be Brave,” a song about her journey that has become an anthem to many in the PH community.
“PHA is extremely proud to partner with Chloe for this unique and creative concert experience, particularly a month before November, which is Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month,” said Rino Aldrighetti, president and CEO of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. “The 2015 Breathe Food Truck and Music Concert Series is an innovative way to demonstrate how Chloe and so many other PH-diagnosed patients and their caregivers fight as they share their talent, treasure and stories to make the public more aware of PH.”
Raising awareness is critical because if left untreated, the average survival time for someone with PH is 2.8 years after diagnosis. Yet with earlier diagnosis, new treatments are extending life expectancy and improving PH patients’ quality of life.
The 2015 Breathe Food Truck and Music Concert Series will help launch PHA’s 2015 “Coloring the World Periwinkle for 25 Years” November Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month public service drive. Throughout November, PHA member patients, caregivers and supporters will share stories on social media and replace their profile pictures with PHA’s Awareness Month stamp as they wear the color periwinkle -- symbolic of the color of the lips of some PH patients when they are oxygen deficient. Also in November, PHA will launch Heart 2 Cure PH (#Heart2CurePH), a new TV, radio, digital and outdoors awareness campaign.
PHA’s 19,235 member patients and caregivers and medical professionals comprise one of the nation’s strongest and most social media-active rare disease association communities. Founded by patients in 1991, PHA, which marks its 25th anniversary in 2016, is the world’s first and nation’s largest comprehensive nonprofit PH association. PHA recently received for the 12th consecutive year Charity Navigator’s highest rating—four stars—for fiscal accountability and transparency, placing it in the top half of one percent of all rated charities.
“In a little more than two decades, working with an amazing patient, caregiver and scientific community, PHA has successfully worked to influence advances in PH patient care, support services, medical education and research,” Aldrighetti said. “At the same time, the need for awareness about the disease is great, as too many people are dying simply because they don’t know about PH.”
Staff from PHA’s New York Chapter will be available at the 2015 Breathe Food Truck and Music Concert Series food truck rallies to answer questions about the association and take donations. The events will take place on the following dates from noon to 3 p.m. at four locations:
• Monday, October 5, 2015 47th Midtown: Between Park & Lexington
• Wednesday, October 14, 2015 Financial District: Front & Old Slip
• Thursday, October 22, 2015 Midtown: 55th & Broadway
• Friday, October 23, 2015 Brooklyn: TBD
PHA received sponsorship support for the 2015 Breathe Concert Series from Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc. and Bayer HealthCare.
About the Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Headquartered in Silver Spring, Md., with a growing list of chapters across the country, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) is the country's leading pulmonary hypertension organization. Its mission is to find ways to prevent and cure pulmonary hypertension and provide hope for the community through support, education, research, advocacy and awareness. PHA does this by connecting and working together with the entire PH community of patients, families and medical professionals. Among its programs, PHA facilitates more than 245 support groups around the country and delivers continuing education for medical professionals through PHA Online University. For 12 consecutive years, PHA has received the highest rating—four stars—for fiscal accountability and transparency from Charity Navigator, placing it in the top half of one percent of all rated charities. For more information, please go to PHAssociation.org.
# # #
Renee Hockaday, Pulmonary Hypertension Association, http://www.PHAssociation.org, +1 240-485-0774, [email protected]
Share this article