Waiuku’s heart champion

Published: 4 November 2024

Brian, an 80-year-old retired engineer living in Waiuku, has been a dedicated Heart Foundation volunteer and area coordinator for the past two years, inspired by his own journey with heart health.

“I’ve been through it all myself,” Brian says. “So, I know how vital it is to support heart research and raise awareness about heart disease.” 

Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Brian’s career took him from being a radio technician to computer engineering with IBM and Fujitsu, later moving into project management.  

His last role, before retiring, involved consulting on roading projects for Auckland Council. But his heart has long been with the Foundation.  

“I’d supported them for years with donations and Lottery tickets,” Brian shares. “But I realised I could do more, so I signed on as a volunteer a while ago and became an area coordinator two years ago.” 

Before he became area coordinator, Brian had participated in around a dozen collections for the Big Heart Appeal as a volunteer in Titirangi and Tauranga.  

“It’s not just about the money—it’s about bringing people together for a cause that affects so many, including myself,” he says. “I just love meeting lots of people out on the streets and they are always so generous.” 

His passion for heart health isn’t just professional; it’s deeply personal. In the mid-1990s, he found himself short of breath and, with his wife’s encouragement, went to the doctor. An angiogram revealed a blocked main artery, and Brian underwent an atherectomy, a challenging procedure that he feels fortunate to have had.  

“I thought I was healthy, so it was a shock,” he recalls. “But that surgery saved my life.” 

Two decades later, Brian needed more work done on his heart, this time having a different procedure for a blocked artery.  

“About twenty years later I got a stent put in,” he says. “Which is a simpler procedure and one that is much more common nowadays.” 

But then just last year, Brian’s health took one final turn for the worse. Experiencing persistent flu-like symptoms, he was diagnosed with pneumonia and then water in his lung. When it wouldn’t go away, he sought emergency medical attention and discovered his heart valve had deteriorated.  

He waited five weeks in Middlemore Hospital before receiving open-heart surgery to repair the faulty valves.  

“I didn’t realise how much worse it had gotten,” he says. “The waiting in hospital was hard, but I was just grateful to get through it.”  

Despite the intense recovery process, Brian bounced back stronger than ever. Today, he’s back to his 8-acre farm, caring for his cows and chickens, and recently returned from a seven-week trip to England. 

Reflecting on his volunteer work, Brian shares, “It’s incredible to connect with others who care about heart health. Knowing I’m helping in an area that’s touched my own life is incredibly meaningful.”  

For those considering volunteering, he has simple advice: “It’s a lot of fun, and it doesn’t take much out of your life. Just two or three hours once a year—you meet great people and make a real difference.” 

Through his personal journey and his commitment to the Heart Foundation, Brian is a powerful reminder that, with a little heart, we can all make a big difference.