Our nationally accredited exercise physiologists help people who have had a heart surgery or diagnosis use exercise and lifestyle modifications to regain their confidence by using individual and group exercise sessions.
I’ve always had a passion for helping people feel their best. I always try to look on the brightside and endeavour to help others do the same. After finishing high school, I had a friend who was in a serious car accident and ended up in a coma for 10 days. I watched him re-learn how to walk and talk again. The process was incredible and I decided I wanted to have the same impact on people.
I had entered university, studying a forensic degree. This was the culmination of my love of watching crime shows and horror movies combined with my interest in the human body. After my first semester (and being told it would take 10 years to become a forensic pathologist), I decided to switch to Exercise Physiology to learn how exercise and movement could help people recover and manage chronic health conditions. It wasn’t until my final semester that I decided that working with people with heart conditions was my pathway. I loved the challenge and complexity of these conditions and the creativity you can express through the individualisation of each persons program.
The hurdle (quite frankly, the first of many)
After I finished my degree, I really wanted to work in cardiac rehab (ideally in a hospital-based setting). But jobs in this area are few and far between. So I decided I’d push my in by doing research in the area. I found some amazing supervisors and had come up with a great research project that I would complete in a hospital with people who had cardiac disease. Or so I thought. Unfortunately, red tape would get in my way and drag out the initial steps in my process so I switched to did the same project in healthy older adults (still a great project and I learnt a lot of new skills but not quite what I had set out to achieve).
Early in my research studies, I landed a casual position at Fiona Stanley Hospital in the Cardiac Gym working with the advanced heart failure and transplant unit (my dream job!). I gained so much invaluable experience and met so many amazing people. Since I was determined to still work in this area, I decided the best way forward would be start my own clinic.
And so it began
Towards the end of the PhD, I began the early stages of setting up my clinic and by February 2018 I officially opened my doors. It’s been a slow journey, building up my clinic and my referral network. But I have some amazing supporters (patients, cardiologists and family) who have helped and watched me and my clinic grow.
My mission
I want to end the burden of cardiac disease by making cardiac rehab accessible to every one who needs and can benefit from it.
My vision
I will create a network of health professionals (cardiologists, GP’s, exercise specialists, dietitians, psychologists) who work together to achieve my mission.
Why I do what I do
I love helping people get from, arguably, some of the lowest points (physically and psychologically) in their life to a place where they feel confident in themselves and their bodies to do whatever it is they want to. Regaining (and even superseding) their physical, emotional and mental capacity after a cardiac event or surgery is incredibly rewarding.
At Heart Health and Fitness, we truly care for each and every patient. We want to be a part of your journey, to watch you grow and realise your true potential, not just physically but mentally and emotionally too. We want to help our patients live their lives limited only by their imagination. We listen to everyone’s story and come up with a personalised exercise and lifestyle program based on their needs and wants.