Sufferers on red alert
Gold Coasters urged to support heart research
VALENTINE’S Day is all about the heart, in more ways than one.
Harriet Osborne and Tani Bloudell live with life-threatening heart conditions – so today will don red clothes for Heart Research Australia’s national Wear Red Day.
They encourage Gold Coasters to wear red to raise awareness and money to support lifesaving heart health research.
Merrimac’s Ms Bloudell has suffered from Mitral Valve Prolapse and Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) since she was 12.
“The best way to describe my condition is like running a marathon all the time,” she said.
“I am always so tired, sore and often pass out.
“Since my diagnosis, research has come a long way. For example, now I have the technology to record my heart and it sends it via bluetooth to the hospital without stepping a foot in there.”
Heart Research Australia is a not-for-profit charity that supports researchers and their quest for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
The condition is the leading cause of death and disability in Australia and affects two out of three families.
Researcher Dr Anthony Ashton said: “Heart research has come a long way in the last 20 years. There are some diseases that are still a bit of a black box for us. Some conditions are managed well, but not managed optimally. We need to keep research going to develop new medications and devices.”
He said the research provided better outcomes for children such as Harriet Osborne who suffered SVT episodes in utero at 32 weeks gestation. Harriet’s mother Ange Osborne said early intervention and treatment meant her 11-month-year-old baby was thriving.
“With the help of Dr Alex Gooi and his team, Harriet was treated quickly.
“It is still game, but she well.” a wait-and-see is doing really