Little PHighter Abbie Hampshire inspires her family every day, and her mum Andrea wrote this special blog for PH Day UK 2026…

When I think about what living with pulmonary hypertension has meant for Abbie, strength is one word that brings so much of her story together.

But strength comes in many forms.

At around three years old, Abbie was still unable to walk, she was struggling to breathe, and she was missing out on her early years. Following her formal diagnosis of PH in 2019, building her physical strength was an important part of helping her grow and develop.

Our physiotherapist encouraged us to keep Abbie active whenever she had the energy, but to stop when she became breathless. So we found our own way of making movement part of everyday life.

It started with singing nursery rhymes and learning hand actions, which gradually became kitchen dancing, practising school performances and, more recently, mastering viral dance routines.

Our kitchen was never quite a conventional dance studio. Abbie would often spend much of the time lying on the kitchen floor, preserving her energy while I worked around her. Walking frames, chairs, mats and anything that could double up as a resting post became part of our makeshift set-up. Even now, dancing only lasts a few minutes before she becomes breathless and needs a rest. But that never stops her wanting to join in!

Looking back, our kitchen dancing was really physiotherapy in disguise. Music helped us build strength while making movement enjoyable.

But strength has never been just about the physical. It is not about doing more or going further. Strength is also about resilience, adapting, knowing when to rest, recognising your limits and having the courage to try again. Strength is about emotional strength on the difficult days, finding joy in the ordinary moments and holding on to hope when the future feels uncertain.

One of the biggest sources of strength in Abbie’s life has been the people and communities around her, all playing an important part in nurturing her growth. Strong relationships, built on trust, kindness and encouragement, extend beyond Abbie to us as a family too.

There is strength in communication, in asking for help, speaking up about what is needed and feeling able to accept support.

There is strength in advocating and in knowing you don’t have to manage everything alone. Sometimes strength belongs to an individual; sometimes it comes from the people who help us through.

Because sometimes, strength looks like a little girl lying on the kitchen floor, saving her energy and waiting for her next favourite song to come on.