A heart health machine is opening at the Rochester Sports Museum and everyone is encouraged to use it.
The project, funded by Rochester Business Network, will open on Tuesday, April 30.
The Shane Warne Legacy Heart Test was developed in 2023 following the cricket legend’s death from a sudden heart attack in 2022. Its aim is to draw attention to heart health and identify concerns before they become bigger problems.
Rochester Business Network saw community members had put their health on hold following the devastation caused by the 2022 floods.
Clinical psychologist and Departments of Families, Fairness and Housing and Education and Training, Bushfire Recovery Victoria and Red Cross Emergency Services consultant Rob Gordon visited Rochester in April 2023.
Dr Gordon spoke about the process of recovering from such an event and how priorities, like staying healthy, might fall behind.
“He told us, ‘it takes seven years to recover from a flood and you’ll gain seven kilograms’,” Emergency Recovery Victoria project manager Megan Keating said.
Rochester has the highest rate of heart disease in Campaspe Shire, according to Rochester Elmore District Health Service.
In the 2021 Census, data showed that 222 people were suffering from heart problems, making up a significant percentage of Rochester’s population of 3154.
Last year, Kyabram-based paramedic Anita Stirling hosted a heart health seminar for Rochester residents.
“The Campaspe region is the region with the highest rate of heart attacks in Victoria, combined with some of the lowest usage of ambulance services when having heart attack symptoms,” Ms Stirling said.
“Ninety per cent of the emergency helicopters that land in Campaspe are not because of car crashes, they’re because someone has had a heart attack.”
The heart health machine is one step towards prioritising wellness, and its opening is in time for Heart Week, which runs from May 6 to 12.
The test only takes four minutes and checks things like BMI, stressors, heart rate, blood pressure and other indicators. It also flags concerns so they can be taken up with medical professionals.
Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to bring along a friend to take the test.
Community groups, including football and netball clubs, knitting groups, the men’s shed and other organisations can book for their whole crew to come in and use the machine.
The test itself is free, but donations for the Rochester Sports Museum are welcomed.
Rochester Sports Museum is at 22-26 Moore St, Rochester.
It is open Thursday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Private bookings can also be made.