Tēnā tātou, I was raised in Taranaki as one of eight children, in a whānau where mana motuhake, resilience, and looking out for one another were uncompromising. My upbringing and who raised me laid the foundations that shaped everything I am today. Oval ball sport became my second language. I competed at representative and international levels, and being active wove itself into the very fibres of who I am. Movement wasn’t just something I did, it was how I understood myself, how I connected with others, and how I stayed grounded. Living with a heart condition challenged that identity. It forced me to confront what it means not just to live, but to choose how to live. Having a voice and being heard became essential. I learned that strength isn’t only measured in speed or endurance, but in honesty, vulnerability, and the courage to keep showing up. I speak not just as a patient, but as a person determined to live fully and intentionally. Life isn’t simply about being alive. It’s about choosing to live and then choosing, every day, how boldly you will do it.

Cardiologist and Interventional Electrophysiologist with specialist interest in cardiac arrhythmia. Fervent supporter of all things Wellington, especially strong coffee, hoppy beer and green spaces.

André completed a PhD at St Vincent’s / University of Melbourne and 4 years of post-doctoral research at the University Hospital of Leuven, Belgium. His research and clinical work focus on the effect of exercise on the human heart. He studies the range of health from severe heart and lung disease to elite athletic performance. André heads the National Centre for Sports Cardiology that comprises a young team of multi-disciplinary researchers based at the HEART Lab, supported by St Vincent’s Institute and the Victor Chang Cardiovascular Research Institute. He has pioneered novel imaging techniques including exercise cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and contrast echocardiography. He has more than 300 peer-review publications and text-book chapters, serves on multiple international guideline statements and is regularly invited to present at all major international cardiology conferences.

Jonathan is a cardiologist in public and private practice in the BOP with qualifications and interests in cardiac inherited diseases, sports cardiology and CIED. He is an enthusiastic mountain, gravel and road cyclist.

Sam Bowman is a Senior Cardiac Physiologist and Founder of Heartworks Cardiac Rehabilitation, a community‑based programme established in 2016 to support individuals following cardiac events and diagnoses. With over 15 years of experience across hospital and private practice settings in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, Sam specialises in diagnostic cardiac testing and clinical exercise physiology. Heartworks was developed to address gaps in long‑term, exercise‑led cardiac care, integrating evidence‑based exercise prescription, physiological monitoring, and small‑group delivery. Sam works closely with multidisciplinary clinical teams to deliver individualised rehabilitation focused on education, behaviour change, and sustainable cardiovascular health outcomes.