Editor’s note: This is a follow up to a Net News story from 2017. We checked in with Kathryn Buffington to see how she was doing, and her story continues to inspire.
Facing life’s challenges can cause us to shrink in fear, or it can cause us to fight back and refuse to give up. Kathryn Buffington chooses to fight. Her weapon of choice is a tennis racquet.
After being diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in 2006, Buffington was told she would never play tennis again. In fact, she was given just two to five years to live. Her response was, “Watch me!”
According to the American Lung Association, “PAH is a specific type of pulmonary hypertension that is caused when the tiny arteries in your lung become thickened and narrowed. This blocks the blood flow through your lungs which raises the blood pressure in the lungs and causes your heart to work harder to pump your blood through those narrowed arteries. Over time, your heart loses the ability to effectively pump blood throughout your body.” Buffington has taken many medications for this disease, has traveled to the Mayo Clinic for treatment, and has made many changes to her way of living. Two things she has refused to give up — doing family activities and playing tennis.
“I firmly believe that a positive attitude is essential to good health,” she said. “I’ve always tried to concentrate on what I can do, not what I can’t. I found ways to get in the pool with my grandchildren when they were young. I tried to make it to as many of my grandchildren’s sports event as possible — swim meets, basketball, soccer, baseball, football, track and field, volleyball, equestrian trials…”
In 2007, Buffington was told by her doctors if she wanted to play tennis, she had to wear an oxygen tank on her back, carry her drug pump in a fanny pack, and place a hard plastic cover over her chest to protect her Hickman catheter from being hit by a tennis ball. She then had to get permission from ALTA and USTA to play with all that gear. She did this until 2012, when she was allowed to shed the oxygen tank for good.
“The doctors at Mayo have found that once you are stable on combination therapy you actually benefit from start/stop exercise, like doubles tennis. They encourage me to continue playing as long as I can,” she said. “They have used my situation to encourage others with PAH to do start/stop exercise … as their pulmonary rehabilitation.”
It comes as no surprise that Buffington has been asked to speak to others about her amazing journey. She has traveled to several states with pulmonary hypertension specialists to talk to newly diagnosed patients and their caregivers, explaining how to maneuver through complicated procedures such as changing intravenous Remodulin (a drug used to help increase exercise capacity and lessen PAH symptoms, including shortness of breath and fatigue).
“I’m passionate about telling my story to help others deal with adversity,” she said. “I continue to serve as a mentor to newly diagnosed patients through the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA), and occasionally they ask me to tell my story in their magazine or on podcasts.”
This 74-year-old wife, mother, and grandmother certainly keeps her calendar full — with family activities, helping others through the PHA, and playing on several tennis teams throughout the year. In 2025, Buffington has played ALTA Mixed Doubles, Sunday Women, Thursday Women, Senior Women, and Senior Day Women. She also plays in round robin tournaments and USTA leagues.
“I’m hoping to continue to play until I’m at least 80,” she said. “My PAH remains fairly well under control with the therapies and meds I take. I find that nothing hurts when I’m on the court! The endorphins that are released take the pain away!”
Most people would find it hard to keep up with Buffington. Many might not have faced the challenges of PAH in the same way she has. One thing is certain, she is living out one of her favorite life mottos: You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.
“I’m just so thankful to be alive, playing tennis, enjoying my family, volunteering in my community and completing our goal of traveling to all 50 states last April,” she said, “I have a strong faith in God, and I was on a multitude of prayer chains through the years. I’m one of the lucky ones!”
