I was just 21 when my hard working and loveable dairy farmer dad died of heart disease. He was 54, the same age I am now.

He never saw me marry and his grandchildren didn’t get to meet him.

As a teenager in class at high school I was left wondering, not if but when, my father would have another heart attack – or my family waiting until I finished my university exams to tell me dad was in intensive care again.

Sadly, coronary heart disease is Australia’s number one killer, with one life claimed every 12 minutes. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Like most things prevention is everything.

That’s why regular heart health checks are vital for the early detection of symptoms of heart disease. To enable that genuine conversation with your health practitioner and to take action to prevent heart disease.

It’s why you will regularly see me out walking with my dogs, riding my bike and enjoying our great outdoors. It’s why I love our fresh local produce made with heart and soul from the South Coast community.

And every sunrise and sunset is a reminder of being thankful to be alive. 

I made a promise to myself long ago, to do everything possible to be around to see my children marry, and one day meet their kids too.

It’s also the reason I am the Co-Chair of Parliamentary Friends of Rural and Regional Health, to help improve health outcomes for people in my communities and across rural and regional Australia.

Last week, Novartis, in partnership with Wesfarmers Health, brought a day of free heart health screening for people to the Nowra Centre Plaza. HeartScreen was literally brought into the community my dad lived in, so more people could get their heart health checked and to spark that conversation with their health practitioner.

Tomorrow, in Parliament, Novartis will launch their report “Cardiovascular Disease Impact Model Report” to learn how we can better test, treat, and track Australia’s leading cause of death.

We know that Cardiovascular Disease costs our Australian health system more than $10 billion annually and that every dollar put back into prevention, helps save lives.

It might be too late for my dad, but if we can help save more lives across rural and regional Australia, then that is definitely worth it.

This letter was published with permission from Fiona Phillips, Federal Member for Gilmore