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Listening to her heart

Monique Bradley is in many ways like her father – artistic, musical and entrepreneurial – and always on the go.

“My dad was a big man. He was vibrant, intelligent, a gifted artist and musician. As a speaker he changed people’s lives through the power of his words.”

He lived with type 2 diabetes for most of Monique’s childhood. With countless visits to the eye clinic and long stints in hospital with complications, Morris lost his sight as a consequence of the disease. 

At around the same time, Monique started to struggle with her own health. 

“The more I worried, the more I ate. I became overweight and I developed other health issues. The doctors were concerned that I may have a tumour on my thyroid or my pituitary.” 

“The more I ate, the bigger I got and the more I worried. It was a never ending spiral.” 

Her dad was diagnosed with myocarditis when she was 16 and 18 months later was rushed to the hospital with chest pains.

“When you’re a kid watching all of this, well, it’s pretty horrific. Seeing your father full of tubes, crying with pain…. and you can’t do anything.” 

At 20 years old and close to 100 kilos in weight, Monique started to experience heart issues.

“I was in pain, I had no confidence and then one day, the heart palpitations began. And the chest pains. And I didn’t know what to do. I thought that I had the same life sentence as my father and that I better do something about it.

While there was no specific heart diagnosis, Monique realised that she needed to radically change her lifestyle and reduce her stress levels because she didn’t want to face the tortured life that her father had. 

“Every day we have the choice to choose a healthier way of being, to openly communicate with those we love and care about and to connect in with how we’re really feeling.” 

Monique decided to pay attention to her body, adopt a healthier lifestyle and be proactive about her heart health. She says regular check-ups are important.

“I encourage people to have open conversations with their whānau about life, joy, the power of connection, the importance of knowing your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle.”

She says it’s also important to recognise the subtle signs your heart or the heart of someone around you might be in distress. Shortness of breath, chest pain, unusual fatigue — these are not just signs of ageing; they are your heart's way of communicating with you. Don't ignore them. 

"Stress, anxiety, and depression can have a profound impact on our heart health and can often show up when someone is going through their own heart journey - both for the patient as well as those around them."

Today Monique is a healthy weight and maintains a balanced lifestyle, juggling television presenting, podcast hosting and a busy diary of MC and presenting roles which takes her around the country.

“Start by making small, manageable changes in your lifestyle. Incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine, choose heart-healthy foods, and prioritise your emotional well-being. Encourage your loved ones to do the same. And most importantly, be proactive about your heart health. Schedule that check-up, know your numbers, and listen to what your heart is telling you.”

Monique is sharing her story in the Big Heart Appeal to encourage others to listen to their hearts, prioritise their heart health and live longer, healthier, happier lives.