A TEAM of nurses will be in Broken Hill this weekend offering free heart health checks to everyone, thanks to the combined efforts of a grass-roots charity and a former Broken Hill woman who is honouring the memory of her late husband.
Heartbeat of Football is a not-for-profit charity that began in 2016 after media sportscaster Andrew Paschalidis witnessed a friend die of cardiac arrest during a weekend game of over-35 football.
Since then, Heartbeat of Football has been raising awareness of heart health in community sport, Mr Paschalidis and his team instrumental in the New South Wales Government’s Local Sport Defibrillator Program, which provided $6 million in funding over five years to assist sporting clubs across the state in the purchase and maintenance of automated external defibrillators.
The visit to Broken Hill this weekend was partly organised by former Broken Hill woman Katrina Umback. For her, it’s personal.
“My husband and I moved from Broken Hill to Mildura about 13 years ago,” she said, “but we were both born and raised in Broken Hill.
“On Australia Day in 2019, Scott suffered a heart attack and died while waiting for a medivac plane to come from Melbourne, to take him to a hospital so he could get the emergency treatment he needed.
“Ever since his death, I’ve been committed to raising awareness about heart disease, to help people understand the risks in communities like Broken Hill.”
Scott’s story is a warning to those of us who think heart disease is something that only happens to others.
“Scott had completed two Melbourne marathons, had studied exercise science at university, and had excellent health literacy,” Ms Umback said.
“He and his family were heavily involved with the North Football Club, and he was also the manager at the YMCA for many years. He was very on top of his health.
“So, I guess what drives me is Scott’s legacy – I don’t want others to go through the same thing. Scott lost his life, but it was also a huge loss for me and the boys, for the wider community. I know Broken Hill felt the loss very strongly.”
Two years ago, Ms Umback reached out to Mr Paschalidis and, thanks to a government grant, the Heartbeat of Football team were able to organise this weekend’s event.
“The main thing this sort of screening does is empowers people to then go and get appropriate care,” she said.
“It saves lives. There are some people who’ve been directed to the help they need through the screenings, so the impact can be felt instantly.”
The free heart health checks will take place on Friday, July 25 at the Musicians Club (4.30pm to 10.30pm), Saturday, July 26 at the Alma Goats Soccer Club in Beryl Street (10.30am to 2.30pm), and Sunday, July 27 at the Mad Max Running Festival, Broken Hill Racecourse (9am to 1pm).
