The Illawarra Heart Health Centre is celebrating 10 years of helping the community during this year's Heart Week (6-12 May) by bringing together staff and former patients to share their stories and reflect on their experiences with the service.
The Illawarra Heart Health Centre brings together key cardiac services, Cardiac Rehabilitation and the Heart Failure Service, as well as the Cardiology Clinical Trials Unit.
Minister for Health, Ryan Park said the Centre supports people who have had a cardiac event by providing dedicated exercise and education programs, empowering them to understand and manage their own heart health, symptoms or risk factors they may have.
"The staff at the Centre are passionate about working with patients to help explain what their diagnosis means, what they can do to help improve their heart health and live an active and rewarding life," Mr Park said.
"It's fitting that the Centre's milestone is being marked during Heart Week, which encourages everyone in our community to take positive steps to reduce their heart disease risk,"
"Every four minutes, one Australian has a heart attack or stroke but as the Illawarra Heart Health Centre shows, people can improve their heart health."
Member for Wollongong, Paul Scully is grateful for the care Illawarra Heart Health Centre has provided to patients in the region.
"This milestone not only signifies a decade of dedication and hard work by staff but also celebrates every patient who has been supported by the Centre's comprehensive and holistic approach to cardiovascular wellness," Mr Scully said.
"The Unit is committed to providing local people living with cardiovascular disease access to innovative treatments and clinical trials right here in the Illawarra."
Member for Shellharbour, Anna Watson said the Illawarra Heart Health Centre is made up of a diverse team of health clinicians.
"One of the best things about the Centre is the way the multidisciplinary team works together to treat patients," said Ms Watson.
"The Centre provides care from Cardiologists, Exercise Physiologists, Registered Nurses, Clinical Nurse Consultants and Clinical Nurse Specialists, who, over the past 10 years, have supported thousands of people from across the Illawarra region."
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) Head of Cardiac Services Clinical Associate Professor Astin Lee said the Illawarra Heart Health Centre also includes ISLHD's Cardiology Clinical Trials Unit, which undertakes research into the prevention, detection, treatment, and management of cardiovascular disease.
"Our Clinical Trials team works to expand the knowledge and understanding of cardiovascular disease to help develop new interventions and best-practice patient care," Assoc. Prof. Lee said.
"We are incredibly proud to celebrate this milestone at the Illawarra Heart Health Centre and look forward to the next 10 years as we continue to provide these important services to our local community."
To find out more about participating in a clinical trial, visit the Cardiovascular Clinical Trials section of the ISLHD website.
