Rondelle holds a Bachelor of Social Science and has worked in various roles within the South Australian state government for over 25 years. For the past nine years, Rondelle has worked with volunteers as she recruits, trains and provides ongoing support to them.

Rondelle was diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome following two cardiac arrests – one at home and one in hospital later that same day – at 24 years of age. She had previously sought medical advice, over several years, for syncope & seizures and had seen a multitude of specialists who were unable to pin-point the cause. Following her cardiac arrests, an electrophysiologist diagnosed Rondelle with Long QT syndrome and implanted a defibrillator (ICD) in the days that followed. Rondelle was advised to treat the ICD  as an “insurance policy” – something that you don’t really think about but are extremely grateful to have when you need it.

As Long QT is a genetic condition, her family were also tested and those family members who were also found to have it. Despite never having any signs or symptoms and being managed as a precaution, tragically Rondelle’s 16-year-old brother passed away from Long QT the following year.

Rondelle subscribed to Heart Support Australia’s newsletter “The Pulse” after reading about the organisation on Facebook.  Not long after, there was an article seeking expressions of interest for the next round of training for the Hospital Patient Visitor role. Rondelle applied as she felt this was a role where she could draw on her own experiences to help others. Rondelle now visits patients in the Coronary Care Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in South Australia and leads our national hospital program providing training and support to those who wish to join Heart Support Australia’s Hospital Patient Visitor Program.