Take Heart. Deadly Heart - film, Q&A & Community fundraiser Wagga Wagga

JOIN US & HELP BRING A VOICE AND FORCE TO RESTORE HOPE AND HEALTH TO FIRST NATIONS CHILDREN...The Kirk Krew are inviting you into a story. And while it is our story, it is mostly Skout’s story and how his brave heart led us on a journey to learn of a deadly heart story that just might be one of our Country’s biggest, most shameful health issues. 

Our bunanay budyarra [little boy], Skout, was a healthy happy and very active child. The day before his 10th birthday, frightened and in pain in the ED of Sydney Children's at Randwick, a young resident doctor doing his rotation with the rheumatology team put the pieces together. Swollen joints, rheumatic pox rash, changed heart rhythm and Strep A markers in the blood that had climbed from a usual 100 to close to 2000! Chest x-rays, a long and detailed ultrasound on the heart, pain relief and high dosage of anti-inflammatory medication, Skout was admitted to hospital with ARF [Acute Rheumatic Fever] – not seen at Sydney Children’s Hospital for nearly forty years! Not going to lie, we had never heard of ARF or RHD before this distressing day.

HEART FAILURE - OUR COUNTRY'S SHAME... To learn that ARF & Rheumatic Heart Disease [RHD] is the leading cause of death in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, killing TWO [2] Aboriginal Children a week is literally heart breaking and a horrific disgrace! 

HAVE A HEART & JOIN US... We want to be advocates for their stories and all of the deadly brothers and sisters in remote communities who are unnecessarily suffering and being overlooked by our government and health systems. We want to share Skout’s story and invite people in to support and champion the eradication of ARF and RHD in Australia. A collective empathy is needed more than ever before!

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR DETERMINED CAMPAIGN TO HELP FUND RESOURCES & COMMUNITY LED INITIATIVES by proud Noongar woman and First Nations Heart Health expert Aunty Vicki Wade and her very important CHAMPIONS4CHANGE. Swans Great Michael O'Loughlin & NRL and World Boxing Champion and health advocate Joe Williams will be our special Q&A panel guests!