Stories

Three years ago, Fiona O’Halloran was a heart attack waiting to happen. She weighed 169kg and was caring for everyone but herself.

Last year at just 44 years of age, Cherie Clark learnt that she had a heart problem - a ‘ticking time bomb’ that wouldn’t go away and she needed surgery if she was to live without fear of a heart event. 

We recently had a shared lunch at my workplace - the Heart Foundation, so I offered to make traditional chop suey.

To look at me – a fit and healthy 42-year-old woman – you’d never guess that I’d had a heart attack. But that’s exactly what happened to me on 12th September 2013

Wellingtonian Roger Calkin thought because he was being treated for high blood pressure and he’d seen a Cardiologist that he couldn’t have a heart attack and left it four hours before asking his wife to call the ambulance.

Instead of hibernating during the winter months, the New Lynn Samoan Seventh Day Adventist church members in West Auckland are taking healthy living to a whole new level, by taking part in the Aiga Challenge.

This week Pacific Heartbeat catches up with Samoan born, Krystal Oriana Atoa-Lavea and Leuluaipouomalo Teresa Leiataua-Atoa (Teresa) - two colourful characters who attended a Pacific Heartbeat (PHB) 2-day Community Nutrition Course (CNC).

It was the Christmas of 2008 and while most families were gathering together and enjoying the festive season, Reverend Lokeni Fuatagaumu was preparing for a heart operation at Auckland Hospital. It was a heart valve replacement operation which was a result of contracting rheumatic fever at a young age.

Almost two years ago Selwyn Tupou struggled to walk 100m and he was suffering ill health due to his obesity, now he has completed his first Round the Bays! He shares his story with us.

At 5.30 I beat the streets of Mangere, South Auckland with my feet. Yep, walking at least 5-6 kms every morning before heading off to work. On one of these mornings I notice that there is new construction work happening on Bader Drive….