Stories

It may be hard to believe, but Kelly Widdowson was just 26 years old when she had her heart attack.

Having only a coffee for breakfast used to be the norm for Uili, but learning to eat proper meals is quickly paying off for the Auckland social worker.

For Carole Strain and her family, winning first prize in the Heart Foundation Lottery is another reminder of how precious our hearts are.

A cardiac arrest prevented Bruce Campbell from running the Auckland Half Marathon in 2013. But after life-saving heart treatment, he’s competing this year as a Heart Racer.

After losing their teenage son to sudden cardiac death, the Poupouare family is celebrating his life by raising money for the Heart Foundation.

Lani Ioelu is a Samoan-born, New Zealand-trained, Pacific Cardiac Rehab Nurse working in the Counties Manukau area. Lani has a strong passion for working with Pacific people who have suffered a heart event. She shares with us the successes and challenges of working in the area of Pacific secondary prevention.

A Counties Manukau mental health worker has been busy sharing our heart healthy teachings. She joins us today to talk about her journey.

Within six months, Phyllis went from being active and energetic to feeling so fatigued she couldn't even speak on the telephone.

Lawrie Coe is like a cat with nine lives. He’s had heart issues for over 35 years, leading to 12 angiograms, a stent and angina. Today he lives with both heart disease and Parkinson’s. 

If you’re facing major heart surgery, Philip Elvidge’s story shows that although it can be a daunting experience, the outcome is definitely worth it. 

Eseta Nicholls attended the Pacific Heartbeat Certificate in Pacific Nutrition course earlier this year and has since made some remarkable lifestyle changes. Here, she honestly and openly shares her story with us.

Frances Singleton is so fit that her husband struggles to keep up and her grandchildren call her "fast forward granny".