LIVED EXPERIENCE with SEVERE AORTIC VALVE STENOSIS (AORTIC STENOSIS) From collapsing in Thailand to meeting technicians who hand-stitched heart valve in Singapore
With
Geoffrey Lewis, Age 75
Diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis, following collapse
Rebecca Pickles,
daughter of Geoffrey Lewis
LIVED EXPERIENCE SEGMENT
Filmed in Sydney | September 2026
A Batemans Bay grandfather who dismissed months of breathlessness and fatigue as “just getting older” is now preparing to travel to Singapore to meet the technicians who hand-stitched the heart valve that helped save his life.
In April 2026, retired logistics courier, Geoff Lewis, 75, collapsed in front of his daughter and grandchildren while on holiday in Thailand, after months of symptoms he had ignored. The collapse would lead to a diagnosis of severe aortic stenosis and urgent treatment back home.
Aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the heart valve which makes the heart work harder to pump blood around the body.(1)
When left untreated, severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is associated with poor outcomes, with more than half of those affected potentially dying within two years. (2)
The disease most commonly affects those aged 65 years and over, and its symptoms are often mistaken for the normal signs of ageing, (3) such as gradual reduction in exercise capacity, shortness of breath, fatigue (tiredness) and tightness, or pain in the chest. (4)
An estimated 100,000 Australians are living with severe aortic stenosis, with a further 10,000 new cases developing each year.2 The disease is increasingly treatable,6 and can often be identified through a routine heart examination, including listening for a heart murmur with a stethoscope.(5)
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition and an individual’s circumstances. Options may include monitoring or valve replacement, including surgical approaches or minimally invasive procedures such as transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).
Citations:
- Strange, G., et al., Uncovering the treatable burden of severe aortic stenosis in Australia: current and future projections within an ageing population. BMC Health Services Research, 2021. 21(1): p. 790.
- Otto, C.M., Timing of aortic valve surgery. Heart (British Cardiac Society), 2000. 84(2): p. 211-218.
- Hope For Hearts. Symptoms of Aortic Stenosis. [July 2026]; Available from: https://hopeforhearts.com.au/aortic-stenosis/symptoms/.
- Victor Chang Cardio Research Institute. Aortic Stenosis. [July 2026]; Available from: https://www.victorchang.edu.au/aortic-stenosis.
- The Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. Our hidden ageing: Time to listen to the heart. 2021; Available from: https://www.baker.edu.au/impact/advocacy/valve-disease.
Source: Adapted from media release, VIVA! Communications Pty Ltd – a GHMC Company August 2026. Supplied footage: Edwards Lifesciences (Singapore)
-
Updated handbook on chronic kidney disease management in primary care
Kidney Health Australia’s latest kidney disease guide for primary care practitioners is expected to be pivotal in slowing down the rates of kidney failure, which have doubled in the past 20 years and if left unchecked will grow by a further 42% by 2030, according to the health charity.
With specific reference to new kidney treatments and culturally safe kidney care for First Nations Australians, the 5th edition of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Management in Primary Care handbook, known as the ‘kidney bible’, is a significant step-up in enabling earlier diagnosis of kidney disease for GPs and other front-line healthcare professionals.
-
Rural allied health mentorship program creates opportunities for students and practice
Melanie Roll, a director and physiotherapist at Gen Health Hamilton, is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of allied health professionals. Gen Health’s support begins with a work experience program for local secondary school students, where they can observe a variety of health services and participate in an annual careers night to explore allied health career pathways.
Upon moving to tertiary education, students are offered placements through a five-week program designed to transition them from observation to supervised practice and ultimately to seeing their own patients. In their final study year, they can apply for the mentorship program, which aids the transition into private practice.
-
Addressing Wound Management
The cost of chronic wounds in Australia is estimated to be $3 Billion per year, impacting 420,000 Australians. Not only is this a national economic concern, but more importantly, is the suffering the person may be going through.
Australian Health Journal met with Hayley Ryan, Board Director and Chair at Wounds Australia and Director at WoundRescue to hear her work in chronic wound management, palliative wounds and pressure injury prevention to comfort those living with a wound.
