Bob’s work background was principally in the Australian Public Service, specifically in the Quarantine Service, until early retirement in 2007, two weeks prior to his 55^th birthday.  After a brief session of retirement, Bob rejoined the APS on a part-time basis with the Electoral Education Centre (EEC), teaching groups of students about the Australian system of democracy and voting.  It was during this period that his heart journey began.

In September of 2009 Bob was initially diagnosed with an under-active thyroid, but that soon changed to a diagnosis that required triple coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.  After successful CABG he was discharged on his 57^th birthday, rejoining the EEC two months later.

Bob joined HSA in March 2010.  His rationale for joining was that he wanted to give something back to the environment that had managed to pull him through his heart event dramas and to see if he could make a difference to others who were travelling the road he’d been on.  Amongst the papers that had accumulated following his heart surgery, Bob found a pamphlet from HSA and thought that it would be worth investigating.  He liked what he saw and joined.

Bob undertook the requisite training to become a volunteer and has been volunteering ever since.  He is a registered volunteer with both of Canberra’s public hospitals, visiting patients in the wards and regularly giving talks at rehabilitation sessions and pre-op meetings.  Bob is currently the Leader of the ACT Peer Support Group.  He is very pleased to celebrate that he has had no further coronary issues.