Martha: how remote care could save rural hearts

Why heart health needs to travel further than the hospital

A family history too familiar

For Martha, heart disease has always felt too close. Her mother died suddenly of a heart attack at just 45. Her grandfather too. With this strong family history, Martha was proactive. She had regular heart checks and underwent triple bypass surgery in 2018. But her body was still trying to tell her something.

“I had this strange feeling in my throat and head. I just knew something wasn’t right,” she recalls.

That night, alone and listening to her intuition, Martha called for help. She was having a major heart attack. Thanks to a nearby AED and swift emergency response, she survived. Airlifted to Adelaide, she received stents and an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to keep her heart in rhythm.

Her journey didn’t end with surgery. It started there.

Why digital support matters

Now nearly 60 kilograms lighter, Martha is more active and optimistic than ever, but she’s quick to say recovery isn’t just physical - it’s emotional, mental and ongoing. That’s why she’s passionate about the Heart Foundation Catalyst Partner, Lubdub’s Heart First initiative.

Designed for home use, these AI-powered, user-friendly tools offer hospital-grade insights – without waitlists, travel or specialist visits. They’re especially valuable in remote, First Nations and underserved communities, enabling early detection before problems escalate.

Lubdub’s ‘heart health in a box’ delivers critical heart function tests in one accessible system. The remote self-testing unit can be used by any healthcare worker to enable early detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of heart disease outside traditional hospital settings. While Lubdub excels at diagnosing existing conditions in users, it can also trigger early warning signs of future cardiovascular disease, making it a powerful preventative tool.

“This could be a lifeline for people like me - especially in remote communities. It’s about having the right support at the right time, wherever you are,” Martha said.

A smarter future, closer to home

Martha’s story highlights the urgent need for personalised, accessible diagnostic tools. Her lived experience is a reminder that heart health is about sustained, accessible support and listening to your body.

“Don’t ignore your intuition. Never, ever,” she said. “All you’re wasting is someone’s time—and that doesn’t matter. They care.”

Support a smarter, earlier response to heart disease. Bring heart health closer to home for those who need it most. Learn more about our Catalyst Partner.