Stories

Toni knows the devastating impact of heart disease. His father had a cardiac arrest at just 52. So when Toni was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, he knew the importance of managing his condition for the sake of his tamariki and moko.

Radio star, Sela Alo, is getting behind the Heart Foundation’s Know your pulse message, after his heart rhythm condition, atrial fibrillation, caused a mini stroke while he was on air.

Heart specialist Dr Nigel Lever is riding the length of New Zealand to raise funds for the Heart Foundation. As a past recipient of a Heart Foundation Overseas Training Fellowship, he hopes to raise enough to fund a similar experience for the next generation of Kiwi cardiologists.

Dr Becky Liao is to spend a year at one of the world’s top heart hospitals, funded by a Heart Foundation Fellowship. While there she will carry out research investigating the link between heart rhythm problem atrial fibrillation and leaky heart valves.

Heart troubles were the last thing young and healthy Kerrie expected, but at 12 weeks pregnant with her second child, she experienced a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD).

Duane and his identical twin brother were both born with a rare heart abnormality and were saved by an Australasian-first operation as babies. The procedure had never been done in this part of the world, so the chances of survival were considered very low.

The first Claire knew of her heart attack was a sense of overwhelming tiredness. Three days later she was in hospital having life-saving bypass surgery.

Bruce Andrews' first encounter with heart disease happened as a teenager.

Northlanders with heart disease, diabetes and gout arthritis are set to get more support with the launch of a new partnership between three health charities and Mahitahi Hauora, Northland’s primary health entity.

The Heart Foundation has awarded its John Ormiston Fellowship to Dr Bernard Wong, who will spend a year at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong. There he will undertake research and clinical practice and learn up-to-the-minute intervention procedures, some of which are not yet available in New Zealand.

The Heart Foundation is co-funding research to see if a simpler test could be used to identify treatment strategies for people who’ve had a heart attack. If successful, some people will avoid transfer from regional hospitals for more invasive tests, and those requiring treatment such as stents will get it more quickly.

The Heart Foundation has granted researcher Dr Jichao Zhao a three-year fellowship to investigate ways that the latest modelling and digital simulation could be used to improve treatment for a common heart problem in New Zealand.