Christmas Donations Appeal: Heart Research

This Christmas, the Hibberd family will have an empty chair at the dining table. A glaring reminder of their devastating loss.

Almost three years ago, Kelsey and her family gathered in their beloved childhood home in Melbourne for dinner.

Chrisso, as he was affectionately known, gave each of his kids two hugs that night before they all left. It was unusual for the devoted dad, and yet, no one could have imagined what happened next.

The next morning, Chrisso was found unresponsive in bed. An ambulance was called and arrived within minutes, but tragically, it was too late. He was unable to be resuscitated.

A fatal heart attack. Out of the blue. A beautiful family ripped apart. A lifetime of future memories shattered. A long list of missed milestones chalked up and rewritten.

“Dad will never be able to walk me down the aisle. He will never meet his grandkids. He will never hug us or have Christmas lunch with us again,” Kelsey shares.

“As we get further away from his last day, my heart aches with what we have lost. But I made a promise when he died, that I would save lives in his name. I promised I would help as many people as I can and continue his legacy.

“My family is broken but we will not fall. And that’s why I need your help to support HRI and their incredible research. I don’t want anyone else to go through this pain. Ever, ever again.”

Heart attacks can happen at any age and leave families, like Kelsey’s, reeling in shock and disbelief.

Help protect people like Kelsey and her family

Right now, researchers from HRI are working hard to discover a reliable biomarker so we can identify people at risk of heart disease – and develop new ways to prevent and treat heart attack and heart failure.

The Heart Muscle Group, led by Prof Julie McMullen, are at the forefront of some of this pioneering work.

“My hope is that one day we’ll find a reliable biomarker so we can identify people at risk with a routine blood test so that we can prevent these tragic events from happening,” says Prof McMullen. “It is just so devastating for the families who experience this loss unexpectedly.

“And with increasing rates of obesity and diabetes, much younger people are also affected by heart conditions which can progress to heart attack and heart failure,” she adds. “Current drugs are not very effective for improving heart function and quality of life, so it is important that we identify new therapies for patients with heart disease and heart failure.”