Red Wiggle, Greg Page has become the latest ambassador pledging their commitment to helping the Heart Foundation continue to champion life-saving research. 48 Australians die from heart disease every day. You can help save lives. This is a charity that I take to heart (both figuratively and literally) after an anuerysm at my Aortic Root almost took my life. Through cutting edge technology and breathtaking research, I’m still here and still fighting.
Just the testing was harrowing, internal ultrasounds which involve a large cylinder placed down my throat, a CAT scan after a tube is inserted into the vein of my groin and pushed up to my Aorta where it released a radio-active dye. Parts of my heart were replaced, broken ribs from the opening of my chest cavity mean’t I was unable to lie down. It was one hell of a fight, and the battle continues, but I am still here.
The fight that I went through and my scars will always remind me of my battle. I remember this day incredibly well. I had lost the will to fight. I was exhausted, in so much pain and so over it…..but I had an infant child. A little girl who mean’t more to me than the world. So for her I fought on.
My testing continues and complications have made life, well, complicated….but I just celebrated the 11th Birthday of my little girl. It was only through ground breaking research, luck, and a super human surgeon, my personal hero, that I’m still here.
Research is a clear and powerful demonstration of the positive difference we make in the world. This shines a light on how the Heart Foundation funds Australia’s best and brightest medical researchers to contribute to tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
Over sixty years, the Heart Foundation has helped pioneer several gamechangers in this field, such as the pacemaker, research to repair damaged hearts and life-saving medicines to treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
But despite significant advances, heart disease remains our single biggest killer, claiming 48 lives each day. This campaign illustrates why the Heart Foundation, with Australians’ support, must continue to drive discoveries that make a difference to those affected by this insidious disease.
