Heart Health – Chucky’s Legacy

In February 2016, everything changed for Guy. A shocking tragedy forced him to rethink his entire life purpose and question everything he was doing, both personally and professionally. After one of their paddling sessions, one of his best mates, “Chucky,” collapsed, plunging him into an impossible situation. He did what he believed was right: checking Airway, Breathing, Circulation… finding no pulse, no breathing. He called the ambulance, started CPR, reassuring himself that everything would be okay, that Chucky would be fine.

The ambulance arrived about ten minutes later, and the paramedics quickly set up the defibrillator as he continued CPR on Chucky. They then rushed him to the Royal North Shore Hospital, where Chucky was given the best possible care. Despite being fit and healthy, Chucky had suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), a fate not uncommon in Australia, where around 30,000 people experience SCA each year. Unfortunately, only about 6% survive, largely due to the lack of immediate access to a defibrillator—if a defib can be applied within the first three minutes, the chance of survival jumps to over 70%.

Tragically, Chucky never recovered and passed away after a week in the hospital. Haunted by the “What ifs”—what if there had been a defib in the car, or nearby at the cafe, or if Chucky could have been put on a defib within those first crucial 180 seconds—he was tormented by the thought of losing other fit and healthy friends, or even his kids or wife, to SCA. Where was the nearest defib? Did anyone know how to use it?

As a former athlete, his life had always been about self-care, where seconds could determine the outcome of a race. After retiring, he built his business around the philosophy that taking care of one’s body and mind was paramount. Chucky’s death, however, was a stark realiSation that it wasn’t enough.

He understood that people needed to know that 180 seconds could mean the difference between life and death. Sudden Cardiac Arrest could strike anyone, anytime, and while a good diet, exercise, and stress management could reduce heart disease, over 90% of SCA victims die, often because help doesn’t arrive in time. If a defib is used within the first three minutes, the survival rate can exceed 70%.

Perhaps Chucky could have been saved; that is something he will never know. His mission now is to make people heart-smart by ensuring that defibrillators are readily available and that individuals are trained to use them confidently in the event of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest. The goal is clear: to get the defib to the patient in the first 180 seconds, offering them the best chance of survival.