The Cardiac Challenge will celebrate its 20th ride milestone next month after raising millions for improved cardiac services in Far North Queensland. Photo: Australian Retirement Trust.
One heart patient’s hopeful idea in 2007 has now raised more than $6 million for cardiac services in Far North Queensland and engaged thousands in cycling.
The Cardiac Challenge, a three-day fundraising bike ride from Cairns to Cooktown hosted by the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation (FNQHF), was pioneered by heart patient and cyclist Pete McNally at a time when the road to Cooktown had not yet been fully sealed.
Ahead of its 20th edition, ride organisers, 330 cyclists, 136 volunteers and various supporters are heavily training, fundraising, and preparing for the milestone 319-kilometre journey on 19 to 21 September.
“I had to go to Townsville to have the hole in my heart closed, and it was pretty traumatic at the time,” Mr McNally said.
“I’d been on a few fundraising rides before, and I thought, wouldn’t it be great to raise some money for the cardiac unit here in Cairns.”
At the time, the unit had just obtained its first permanent cardiologist and had just four patient beds, but was already undertaking some cardiac research.
Today, the unit is comprised of 11 cardiologists who can treat a heart attack at any hour of the day and night, nurses, sonographers, cardiac scientists, Indigenous health workers, radiographers and administration staff.
The team travels thousands of kilometres across rural and remote areas of Far North Queensland, and electrophysiology services are now provided.
The outcome was something neither Mr McNally nor Peter Sexton or Laura Garner, who also have ridden every year, could ever have envisioned.
Mr Sexton was already a cyclist when his sailing friend Mr McNally suggested the idea of the bike ride.
“The fact the ride has been going so long and achieved so much is a credit to everyone involved, but particularly the volunteers, such as Pete’s partner Judi Phillips and my wife Trish, who rode the first year, and every year since, has driven an escort vehicle,” Mr Sexton said.
“As a former committee member and pack leader, I’m also incredibly proud of our safety record to date. There’s a lot of work, thought and preparation that goes into the ride that no one ever sees, and it’s a tribute to everyone who gives up their time to make it happen.”
Earlier this month, FNQHF announced a $250,000 software system had been installed in the Cairns Hospital cardiac catheter laboratories to help with monitoring of patients while undergoing procedures.
The foundation has also embarked on its largest fundraising campaign for cardiology for several years, with the aim of bringing dedicated CT coronary angiography services to FNQ.
“We’re partnering with the health service which is providing $1 million, we already have $1 million in the bank from previous Cardiac Challenge rides and we need to raise another $1.7 million to bring the service to FNQ,” FNQHF CEO Gina Hogan said.
The new CT service will enable people who present to the emergency department with chest pain, not necessarily a heart attack, to be diagnosed quicker and either be treated or discharged.
“If you are having a heart attack you will go straight to the cardiac catheter laboratory, but if you present and have a blood test which shows no heart attack, an ECG that shows no heart attack but you’re still experiencing chest pain, we can investigate that further,” Cairns Hospital Director of Cardiology Dr Steve Sutcliffe said.
