The fashion show is a traditional part of the agenda on the bi-annual PH conference in USA. This year’s conference was no exception.

The fashion show at the PH conference is, however, not like any ordinary fashion show. For once, all models are all PH patients. Secondly, it doesn’t seem like the clothes worn by the models necessarily are the primary focus of the show. Because as the model proudly walks down the runway, the announcers talks about the models’ medical history. Furthermore, they often also tell other facts like what hobbies and interests the models have. Many times these are important facts as the clothes worn will be closely related this.

One PH patient and model has, for instance, a hobby as a hula dancer. She even participates in hula dancing competitions. She, of course, walked the walkway in hula dancing outfit. She certainly was no ordinary hula dancer, however, because have you ever seen a hula dancer with a backpack containing an oxygen supply and with a nasal cannula? And when she showed some hula dancing on the runway, the crowd went wild.

Another model came walking down the walkway in karate outfit. And yes, you guessed it, the model and patient had karate as an hobby. She must have been very skilled, as well, because she had a black belt. The respons from the crowd was high as she showed some of her karate kicks.

The most cheers, however, were given to the PH sick children and youths as they walked down the runway. One boy was dressed in a superman custom to let everyone know his superhero. Another shy young girl walk the walkway in a zebra outfit and on her back she was a zebra backpack that contained her PH medication pump. And two young girl friends walked the runway in matching skirts and proudly showed their sparkling and matching pump backpacks.

So if you ever plan to participate in the PH conference in USA, don’t miss the fashion show. It is truly inspirational to watch as child, youth and adult PH patients proudly walk the runway to overwhelming cheers of their fellow PH patients audience.