Launch of One Heart Many Lives, Northland

Campaign kicks off to tackle 14-year mortality gap in Northland

Maori men in Northland die on average 14 years earlier than other NZ men.

That is the grim statistic driving a campaign to be launched in Kaitaia on Sunday, 22 April 2007, to tackle high rates of heart disease that mean Maori men in Northland have much shorter life expectancy than men in other parts of NZ.

The launch takes place at Kaitaia Intermediate School, North Road, Kaitaia, starting at 11am and running until 4pm.

Northland is the region with the greatest `mortality gap’ for Maori men. The launch of the One Heart Many Lives campaign, a joint initiative involving Northland DHB, Government drug funder PHARMAC and community agencies, aims to reduce that gap to be in line with the national average within five years.

“That is a significant challenge but one we need to take up,” says Northland DHB’s General Manager, Maori Health, Kim Tito. “Everyone knows about the road toll but heart disease is an even bigger killer.

“It is a silent killer that is taking our men at far too young an age. This has far-reaching effects and leaves huge gaps in our community. One heart truly does affect many lives and this campaign is a community response to our biggest health issue today.”

Sunday’s campaign launch is a whanau day in Kaitaia featuring an appearance by the pop/funk band Ardijah, fronted by two Northlanders, Ryan and Betty-Ann Monga. Ryan Monga is something of a role model for the campaign after shedding 16kg through a combination of increasing physical activity and changing his diet.

The campaign’s central message is simple – men in Northland are dying too young, so they should get their hearts checked and make lifestyle changes to reduce their chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

One Heart Many Lives was developed by PHARMAC and has been successfully run in Gisborne, the Bay of Plenty, Porirua and South Auckland, and is currently running in Hawke’s Bay.

The Hawke’s Bay campaign already has a major success story in Tamati Davies, who has shed a massive 95kg since appearing in a mini-documentary to highlight the impact of heart disease on families.

PHARMAC’s Medical Director, Dr Peter Moodie, says heart disease is a nationwide problem for New Zealand. A diet high in saturated fats and a reduction in physical activity are the main reasons for the high rates compared to other countries.

“Heart disease is New Zealand’s number one killer and One Heart Many Lives is an important response to the problem,” says Dr Moodie. “It is going to take a long time to turn the `lifestyle ship’ around but the best time to start doing it is now.”

“The key to the campaign’s success so far has been the level of community support and we look forward to working together with the DHB, PHOs and Northland organisations as the campaign develops.”


Ardijah musician Ryan Monga finds key to a better life

Losing 16kg and learning how to eat better has proved a life-changing experience for musician Ryan Monga.

Ryan, bassist in the pop/funk band Ardijah, says he was always overweight but that all changed after he read the No.1 bestselling book Fit For Life (by US health author Harvey Diamond) about six years ago.

The change didn’t require any special programmes, just an understanding of the right foods to eat, and when, and particularly the importance of fruit and vegetables.

“So in the first 12 weeks I lost 16kg and I’ve kept it off for the last six years,” he says. “It’s changed my life - I’ve found that I can be a bit more active, now I go bike riding on my mountain bike and I play basketball and I run with the young fellas, full court. I don’t think I’d be able to do that if I still had my weight on me.”

Ryan says thinking about his children was his main reason for changing his lifestyle. “My motivation is my kids, staying around longer for them. It wasn’t just about looking good, it was about the health – sticking around for my kids.”

Eating better and becoming more active are key ways to improve heart health, and Ryan is a supporter of the One Heart Many Lives campaign that aims to reduce the impact of heart disease in Northland.

Ardijah, best known for their 1980s hits Give Me Your Number, Time Makes A Wine and Watching U, will play at a family day launch of One Heart Many Lives in Kaitaia on Sunday, 22 April. The campaign is a community-led response to high rates of heart disease in Northland, and is a joint initiative of Northland DHB and Government drug funding agency PHARMAC.

Ryan has a challenge for people in Northland: “I think you have to go and check your heart and just see what you need to do. I think it comes back down to the changes that you make in your life, because there’s only one of you, and you only have one heart. No-one else is going to look after you, so you’ve got to do it and take care of yourself.”

“Your body is your temple, and it’s pretty easy. Once you know how to do it, how to look after your body, then it’s easy as.”

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For further information, please contact:
Clare Blackburn, Communications Manager
Northland District Health Board
Phone (09) 430 4101 ext 3315