Organisation

CARDIO - building long term heart health through exercise

Board of Trustees

Heartbeats is a registered Charitable Trust and non-profit organization with a professionally qualified Board of Trustees.

Trent Lash

B.Sc. (Hons), B.E. (Hons)

Trent is an internationally experienced senior corporate executive and management consultant and has served as an executive and non-executive director on several private, public company and not-for-profit Boards. He is passionate about improved through-life rehabilitation for cardiac patients and the delivery of world class, optimal healthcare for all New Zealanders.

Kevin Farrell

CA (retired)

Kevin is a retired Chartered Accountant who held senior financial accounting roles in the financial services sector. He has continued to provide governance and financial accounting expertise to a number of not- for-profit organisations. He fully supports exceptional charitable organisations like Heartbeats for the vision and passion they bring to improving the wellbeing of New Zealanders.

Vanessa Garcia

H. BSc, MSc (Hons), PGDip Health Psychology, NZ Registered

Vanessa is a Health Psychologist who is passionate about cardiac psychology and holistic wellbeing. She has over 9 years’ experience working in both the public and private health sectors. She has worked at Auckland Hospital and Counties Manukau Hospital as a Health Psychologist in Adult Cardiology, Congenital Cardiology, Chronic Pain, and other health services.

Medical Advisor to the Board

Dr. Guy Armstrong

B.Sc. MB.ChB, FRACS, FRACP, FACC, FESC, FCSANZ

Guy is an interventional and imaging cardiologist with interests in angioplasty, pacemakers, echocardiography and preventive cardiology. He chairs the A.H.Couch charitable trust, supporting cardiology research and education.

Executive Team

Neil Anderson

Atrial Fibrillation Subgroup Convenor

Neil is a heart event survivor who lives north of Auckland after living overseas and working to connect and support relationships with people, corporations and governments. He has been through various stages of Atrial Fibrillation over the last 20 years and is now permanently in AFib, that is being treated with a range of drugs. Heartbeats has been his ‘go-to’ support since going into permanent AFib.

Marydeane Paranihi-Morris

Maori and Pacific Engagement

Marydeane Paranihi is a Maori woman of Tuwharetoa / Ngati Mutunga descent. She is a retired social worker and heart event survivor, who has recovered from heart surgery three years ago.

Heartbeats Organisation

Heartbeats holds monthly group meetings across Auckland at the following locations:

Orewa: Heartbeats Hibiscus Coast
Hibiscus Coast Community House (behind Estuary Arts Centre)
514 Hibiscus Coast Highway, Orewa

Meets on the first Tuesday of each month: 10:00 – 11:30am

Central
Auckland: Heartbeats Mt Albert
YMCA Community Centre
773 New North Rd, Mt Albert

Meets on the last Thursday of each month: 10:00 – 11:00am

West
Auckland: Heartbeats West Auckland
SturgesWest Community Centre
58 Summerland Drive, Henderson

Meets on the first Tuesday of each month: 1:00 – 2:30pm

North Shore: Heartbeats North Shore
Sunnynook Community Centre
148 Sycamore Drive, Sunnynook

Meets on the last Thursday of each month: 7:00 – 8:00pm

Eastern
Auckland: Heartbeats Eastern Suburbs
Glendowie Community Centre
83 Crossfield Road, Glendowie

Meets: TBA

Heartbeats Services

Heartbeats provides support and full wrap around services to heart event survivors, family and whanau.

Heartbeats members have heart conditions that include:
atrial fibrillation – arrhythmias (tachycardia and brachycardia)- heart failure – coronary artery bypass – cardiovascular disease – microvascular condition – Takotsubo cardiomyopathy – SCAD – HCM – HCM – MINOCA.

My Heart – Poem

Nov 2, 2022 | Blog

MY HEART It worked its silent magic for many, many years. It ran the races, played the games, and stood the test of fears. It broke in love and loss and shared itself with friends. It melted for the pets I had and strengthened for their end. It did not seem to mind...

Heartbeats Programme

Peer-to-peer interaction, advice and support – 11 group meetings in your community, each year. Free, informal, and held monthly.

Open welcome to other Heartbeats group meetings outside of your own locality

Personal and private support from Heartbeats Group Facilitators

Telephone support 24/7 (Heartbeats Helpline)

Heartbeats Connections

We will connect you with:

Professional healthcare providers and allied health specialists

Other heart support organisations and groups

Heart event survivors who have the same condition or have had the same surgery – our HeartBUDDY programme.

Our Partners and Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to those organizations who sponsor and support us in making a real difference in community heart healthcare, one person at a time.