Life-saving program front and centre at free forum in Kelowna, B.C.
Global News
SAVE BC was started by two physicians in the Lower Mainland who felt there was a gap in catching the disease based on family history.
Matt McArthur was cleaning his house back on Jan. 20th when he felt a tightening in his chest.
“It progressively got worse,” McArthur told Global News. “I went to lay down in bed still experiencing a high heart rate that wouldn’t slow down.”
He called 9-1-1 and was shocked to learn later on at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) he had suffered a heart attack at the age of 41.
“Quite alarming, especially at my age,” the Kelowna man said. “I didn’t think it was real.”
McArthur is now enrolled in what’s called the SAVE BC program, which allows more research to be done on heart disease among younger, otherwise healthy people.
It was designed to help patients and health-care professionals better identify, treat and prevent premature cardiovascular disease.
SAVE BC was started by two physicians in the Lower Mainland who felt there was a gap in catching the disease based on family history.
The donor-funded program was launched at KGH in 2019 and has ramped up thanks to the ongoing support from a Kelowna family personally affected by premature cardiovascular disease.