Laura Tackles ‘The Great Ride for Heart’

15/10/2009 | The Great Ride for Heart

MidCentral Health cardiologist Laura Davidson has completed some large cycle events in her time, but none are as big as next year’s epic The Great Ride for Heart, which will see her cycle 10 of 14 legs from Cape Reinga to Bluff.

Nineteen cardiologists and other health professionals have so far committed to ride all of the 2117kms, along with 21 relay riders to boost awareness of heart disease prevention and raise $1 million for the Heart Foundation’s Cardiovascular Research Fund. The riders will pay all their own expenses and every cent raised will go directly toward the new Chair in preventive heart health research at the University of Auckland.

The Great Ride for Heart will be by cardiologists and other health professionals raising funds for cardiology and leaves Cape Reinga on 1 February 2010, and ends up in Bluff on 14 February, with only one day’s rest (the ferry crossing on day eight).

Laura, a cardiologist at MidCentral Health for the past four years, is no stranger to participating in some of the country’s major cycling events.

She has cycled around Lake Taupo once, done half the distance twice, and three-quarters once; has cycled Mt Taranaki in January 2009; has been a regular on the annual Tour de Manawatu; and also has been a keen participant in the Wairarapa “spring classics”.

Each cyclist is aiming to raise $1000 a day, or in Laura’s case a total of  $10,000 through fundraising through staging fundraising events, donations, or sponsorship from individuals, businesses or organisations the riders work with.
Tararua people will likely recognise Laura not through her cycling ventures, but more for her work, especially if they have been to one of her patients at the community cardiology clinics she helped set up there, and runs in Dannevirke every second Wednesday, or through her work at Palmerston North Hospital. Many heart patients coming to Palmerston North Hospital must have either heard of or know Laura, when it is remembered that 30% of admissions (to the hospital are cardiology-related.

Heart Foundation Heart Health Advocate Sally Darragh says: "It's great to see Laura out there promoting heart health. We look forward to getting out there and supporting her when the bike ride comes through the MidCentral region on the 6th and 7th of February."

“Along the way the riders will engage with locals, and stage fundraising events in selected towns to raise awareness of heart health from Cape Reinga to Bluff. Look out for them. They need the support of New Zealanders to complete their mission.”

The riders began fundraising on 1 October through a website, (www.heartracer.org.nz/LauraDavidson/) which has riders’ individual fundraising pages, daily video blogs of the core riders, GPS tracking of the entire team as they ride through New Zealand, nutritional advice and information.
All offers of assistance in helping Laura reach her $10,000 goal are appreciated.

People with any fundraising events or ideas, donations or offers of sponsorship can contact Cardiology Clinical Nurse Specialist Heart Failure Erin Horgan on (06) 350-8286.