Brad Shultz
Heart Support Volunteer
How long have you been with WBHHS?
Approximately 3 years
How do you describe what you do?
I visit all possible patients with ongoing heart conditions, ranging from heart attack, stroke, bypass surgery (from pre-op to post-op), as I myself had a STEMI heart attack followed by bypass surgery at the age of 53.
What’s best about your job?
What’s best about my job is to be able to listen to the patient and to understand the fear of the unknown as to what medical procedure they are going through at that moment. Because I went through the exact same thing, with not knowing what is going to happen next. I can reassure them of the processes which will follow and that will be beneficial for their mental health as well.
What was your path into health care?
While recovering from bypass surgery at Prince Charles Hospital, I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful gentleman who volunteered his time to meet patients like myself. In turn, finding out that he had lost his wife through a heart event. After 12 months of recovery, I found out there was nobody local doing heart visits in our local community. Meeting Kim Hanns solved that problem for me. By joining her team of volunteers, it helps me with my own recovery and the recovery of others going through similar heart problems.
What does being part of a team mean to you?
Playing a small part, alongside of all of the other wonderful volunteers in WBHHS knowing that we do a great thing for this wonderful community.
When you’re not at work, you are…
When I’m not volunteering, I’m always planning another wonderful holiday with my wife in our beautiful caravan.
What do you enjoy about living in Wide Bay?
What is there not to enjoy? We are so lucky, we live in such a beautiful area.
Tell us a fun fact about you.
I love to cook.
What song are you listening to most right now?
Anything from the 70’s and 80’s does me just fine.