A Conversation with Dr. Hap Farber, Team PH’s New Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Hap Farber isn’t just a renowned pulmonologist, PH specialist, and director of the Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) at Tufts University — he’s also the kind of person who thinks skiing 100,000 vertical feet in one day sounds like fun. As the current Chief Medical Officer of the Board of Directors of Team PH, Dr. Farber combines medical expertise with adventurous spirit, passion, and dedication to improving the lives of those affected by pulmonary hypertension (PH). We sat down with him to hear about how he first got involved, what keeps him going, and his vision for the future of the organization.
Q: How did you first become involved with Team PHenomenal Hope?
A: The founder of Team PH, Dr. Patty George, put out an email blast asking PH physicians to do something wild to raise awareness and funding for PH research. I responded with a simple: “Booyah!” I decided to ski over 100,000 vertical feet in one day at Wildcat Mountain. A year later, Patty and I met in person and realized we needed to do crazy stuff together. Our first big event was a 7-day mountain bike race across New Zealand — from Christchurch to Queenstown — with over 50,000 feet of climbing and camping each night.
Q: What inspired you to stay involved and take on a leadership role within the organization?
A: It’s the patients — always the patients. We exist to stand beside them in their journey with PH. My day job is caring for them as a physician, and this work is an extension of that. Raising funds and awareness through Team PH is a way I can use my limited spare time to make a real difference.
Q: Can you share your most memorable Team PH moment?
A: The PHun Days for kids stand out the most. We’ve held three so far — two at amusement parks in New York and Denver, and one at a Colorado Rockies game. To see children with PH just being kids, forgetting their diagnosis even for a day, is an incredible gift. We’re planning one in Nashville this year!
Q: How has Team PH evolved since you first got involved?
A: Tremendously. We started as a team of athletes raising awareness and funds through endurance events. Since then, we’ve added key programs like the Meghan Michelle Hicks Fund for Unmet Patient Needs, which provides monthly microgrants to patients facing financial hardship. We launched a Peer-to-Peer mentoring program, created a virtual support group, and grew our team from one staff member to four. We’ve also expanded our walk series—starting with one 5K in Pittsburgh and growing to multiple walks, including events in California, North Carolina, and New Mexico. One PH patient, Eric Borstein, even walked over 200 miles from LA to San Diego and raised over $200,000!
Q: What are your hopes for Team PH in the coming year?
A: Growth — reaching more patients, offering more support, and expanding the sense of community that’s at the heart of what we do.
Q: What message would you share with Team PH athletes across the country?
A: Keep going! What you’re doing is inspiring to your Let Me Be Your Lungs partners and the entire PH community. Keep your heart in it — and always remember who you’re doing it for.
Q: What makes Team PH unique among nonprofits or rare disease organizations?
A: Most of our volunteers and athletes have a personal connection to PH — they’re patients, family members, physicians, or industry professionals. That shared understanding and commitment make this a labor of love. It’s not just advocacy, it’s community.
Q: How does your experience as a PH specialist inform your work with Team PH — and vice versa?
A: As a physician, I see firsthand the challenges patients face daily. That inspires many of our initiatives, like the unmet needs fund. I also collaborate with other PH specialists to brainstorm ways we can improve access to medication and care. And through Team PH and my daily work with patients, I’ve learned that each patient is unique — a truth that guides our mission to meet individuals where they are.
Q: What have you learned from PH patients and athletes that’s stayed with you?
A: I was heading out on a grueling 100-mile gravel bike race in Ketchum, ID and got a video/text from my Let Me Be Your Lungs partner. She sent a photo from Gold’s Gym on a stationary bike and said, “I know I can’t keep up with you, but I’m going to go as far as I can.” If that didn’t inspire me to finish strong, nothing could. That moment sums up the spirit of this organization.
Q: How does Team PH contribute to the broader PH community beyond fundraising?
A: We host educational webinars and a virtual Town Hall highlighting current research and our grant recipients. We’ve also developed a patient-focused website packed with information about diagnosis, treatments, and living with PH. Our goal is not just to raise money — it’s to equip patients with knowledge, resources, and hope.
Q: What role do hope and community play in the life of a PH patient?
A: They’re everything. Hope and community are lifelines, especially in rare disease spaces where isolation is common. Through Team PH, we want every patient to feel seen, supported, and empowered. No one should feel like they’re fighting this battle alone.
Dr. Hap Farber brings unmatched energy, heart, and insight to this new leadership role. His belief in the power of community, his deep compassion for patients, and his willingness to go the extra mile — literally — embody the mission of the organization. Whether on skis, bikes, or in scrubs, Dr. Farber continues to push forward, side-by-side with patients, in the fight against PH. As he says, it’s all about bringing hope — and making sure no one walks this path alone.
