Kids’ Field Trip Makes a Big Splash

By Meera Salamah

Everyone agrees that this was the best Pulmonary Hypertension conference yet, especially the kids, who were thoroughly impressed by this year's traditional field trip to Sea World! The trip was enjoyable for all ages, even those hard to please teens.

We started our trip by going back to school with educational activities that taught us about many of the sea creatures that Sea World houses, including Polar Bears and Sharks.

The group then moved on to a walking tour of some of the animals that we had just learned about. Valerie from South Carolina says that seeing the beluga whales in the exhibit was her favorite part.

The next and last attraction was of course, a Shamu show called One Ocean! Nicole, Shannon, Jen and Rayni all agree that this was their favorite part of the trip! Shamu just couldn't help but make a big 'splash'. Something interesting that I noticed was that the theme of the show was how one person can make a big difference in the world. I couldn't help but make a connection to PHA's theme, "The Power of One". This is not just coincidence, it only serves as further proof to our motto and adds strength to our message.

Thus, I encourage everyone to put the Power of One to the Test, even kids; you can make a difference despite what people might say or your age. You have that power vested within yourself, and I hope that you put it to use, whether it be as a caretaker for a sibling or a parent, or as a participant in fundraising and advocacy, the Power of One is the wave we all ride to the cure.