Heart to Heart

04/03/2025

Thinking of our friends at Shane Warne Legacy and the Warne family, today on the 3rd anniversary of Shane Warne's death. Love never dies!

The best way you can honour the great man, is to go and get your heart checked.

We remember you today, just as we do every day—but today hurts a little more without you here on your 3rd anniversary.

You were generous, full of life, and driven like no one else. A perfectionist who loved your lists, overflowing with ideas, always pushing, always grinding, always believing there was a way. “No” was never an option—you made things happen. You believed anything was possible if you wanted it badly enough. Meticulous to a fault, order brought you calm, and giving back was at the heart of who you were.

We will do our best to carry on the incredible legacy you left behind.

We miss you.

A heartfelt thank you to our partner, FOX SPORTS Australia, for honouring you tonight from 7:30 PM, celebrating the incredible legacy you left on the field.

21/02/2025

Here is our podcast recommendation for your weekend 👌🫶👇

In this heartfelt conversation, Katrina Umback shares her profound journey following the sudden loss of her husband, Scott, to a heart attack.
She reflects on how this life altering moment reshaped her identity and purpose, leading her to advocate for heart health awareness in rural communities.

Katrina discusses the importance of community support, the non-linear nature of grief, and her commitment to educating others about heart disease prevention. Through her leadership efforts, she aims to create systemic change in healthcare access and empower individuals to take charge of their health.

This conversation emphasises the significance of storytelling, connection, and resilience in the face of adversity.

Enjoy this raw and confronting chat with Katrina on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1sajYB4OJRK1Upm43czgqT?si=97b5a58f1b764b2e

Download, Listen and Subscribe to the podcast at www.beyondthebackpaddock.com.au

26/01/2025

Hi! It’s Katrina, founder of Heart to Heart, here. I’d like to jump out from behind the keyboard and share something personal with you all.

After Scott’s funeral, I penned a thank you message on my personal page. Part of that message read,

“Words don't seem enough. We hope through our actions you will know what you did & are still doing for us is more than appreciated. It is cherished! From the bottom of our hearts to yours, THANK YOU!”

On Australia Day 2019, with the unexpected death of my husband to a heart attack, I learnt the hard way that heart disease is the biggest killer of Australians and in the Mallee, the region I live in. It also taught me that we don’t have the appropriate emergency cardiac care in the Mallee, a catheterisation laboratory.

This harsh and cruel learning, combined with my desire to pay forward the love and care I received from our local community after his sudden death, prompted me to start advocating for a Cath lab, increasing individuals awareness of their risk to heart disease, and raising money for the Heart Foundation to help them with the fight against heart disease. I also wanted to honour Scotty’s memory and I believe the best way to do that is to do things he would do. He was all about learning from your experiences to create change or bring improvement. He believed in the theory of “when you know better, you do better”.

Therefore, it was an absolute honour to be awarded the Citizen of the Year at the Mildura Rural City Council’s Australia Day Awards today. It was also very ironic and extremely bittersweet as today marked six years without my Scotty and our boy’s dad.

Thank you MRCC for selecting me as Citizen of the Year. I am honoured and proud. Thank you for seeing and valuing my contributions to our community. I promise to continue to do the work to contribute to Mildura being the “most liveable, people-friendly community in Australia”.

A heartfelt thank you to Northern Mallee Leaders for nominating me for this award. Their community leadership program gave me the confidence and tools to do this work. Their program was truly transformative and has enabled me to contribute to the health and well being of my local community and region.

I’d also like to thank Dr Anne Webster MP for listening to my story back in 2020 and taking up my plea to bring a Cath lab to the Mallee. Dr Webster has been pivotal in giving me a seat at the table to advocate alongside her at a local, state, and federal level as well as connecting me with the wider healthcare industry to deliver free community heart health checks in our region.

Finally, thank you to my boys, Joey and Jesse, and my new partner, Richie, for your unconditional love. You give me strength, encouragement, and courage to keep going.

In closing and most importantly, please invest in your heart health. Go and get your heart checked every year, regardless of your age, s*x, or fitness level because heart disease is preventable and treatable. It really shouldn’t be the biggest killer of Australians!

This award is dedicated to and in loving memory of Scott Anthony Umback 15.3.1976 - 26.1.2019

26/11/2024

This morning, Katrina, was a guest at the Mildura Health Foundation 's Donor Appreciation Morning Tea.

Listening to Mildura Health Fund's, Gerard Op De Coul speak about why the Foundation is building the Dr Julie Zrna Centre resonated with her and our efforts to establish a catheterisation laboratory in Mildura. It also encouraged us to keep going and left us feeling hopeful because the work they are doing around providing cancer diagnosis and treatment in our community, is proof that when individuals receive diagnosis and treatment closer to home or better still, in their hometown, their rates of survival dramatically increase. This is our vision for those in our community with heart disease.

Congratulations Mildura Health and the Mildura Health Foundation on your progress so far. An incredible example of locals supporting locals and not accepting "it'll never happen" in your community. Their next project is going to take this work to another level. I won't reveal what that is. We will let them do that. In the meantime, make sure you keep your eyes and ears open for the big announcement about what it is.

Katrina chose to donate to the Mildura Health Foundation as she or her loved ones, might need this service one day, particularly her Broken Hill family and friends. This Christmas, Heart to Heart encourage you all to consider donating to the Mildura Health Foundation to help them continue the lifesaving work they are doing. Afterall, your health is your wealth! On top of that, simply by donating, you could win yourself a $100 Mildura City Heart gift voucher. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

Thank you for your hospitality this morning, Mildura Health Foundation. We can't wait for the opening of the Dr Julie Zrna Centre in 2025.



Anne Webster MP
Jade Benham MP

Today, Mildura Health Foundation Director, Amanda Phillips, met with Santa and Mrs Clause to launch the Christmas Gift Giving Campaign with the support of Mildura City Heart

If you are stuck for a gift idea for someone special this Christmas, select a gift that has great impact.

You can gift a donation to a friend, colleague or family member to help operate the Dr Julie Zrna Centre accommodation for patients receiving radiation treatment at Mildura Health Icon Cancer Centre.

Plus your generosity means you go into the draw to win 1 of 5 $100 Mildura City Heart Gift Cards*

To donate today and purchase the gift that makes a difference, visit: https://www.mhfoundation.com.au/about/giftgiving

*Terms and conditions apply, see website for details.

01/11/2024

It’s Movember! That means it is time to grow the mo and go get a health check, fellas! 🥸

Well done Total Tools Mildura for raising awareness and funds for mens health. Thank you for having me to speak at your Movember Golf Day this morning.

You can donate to Total Tools Mildura Movember campaign here ⬇️

https://au.movember.com/team/2347153



Movember Australia
Heart Foundation

18/10/2024

Thank you SuniTAFE, Sunraysia Institute Of TAFE for spreading this important and life saving message.

It’s ! Do you know where to find an AED? Do you know how to perform CPR?

Read Brett’s story to understand why you should.



Ambulance Victoria
Heart Foundation

Did you know that October is also known as Shocktober? 💓

It’s a month dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of learning CPR and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). By knowing these lifesaving skills, we can improve cardiac arrest survival rates and help save lives.

In honour of Shocktober, we’d like to share the story of SuniTAFE CEO Brett Millington, who understands firsthand the importance of having an AED available in a time of crisis. Ten years ago, at just 38, Brett suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.
➡️ Read the full story here: https://www.sunitafe.edu.au/News-Events/SuniTAFE-News/Articles/SuniTAFE-Ready-to-Save-a-Life

You can also visit Ambulance Victoria’s webpage to learn how anyone—not just paramedics—can help save a life by learning CPR and how to use an AED: https://www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/shocktober/

17/09/2024

We’ll see you there😉 Get your tickets👇

Less than 1 week to grab your tickets for the 'Just A Farmer' Exclusive Screening and Live Q&A with Leila McDougall (producer and actress) at Wallis Cinemas Mildura.

"Just A Farmer" transcends traditional cinema, authentically portraying the challenges and triumphs of a resilient farmer in rural Australia. This cinematic journey amplifies the often-overlooked voices of rural communities and sheds light on mental health struggles. It's more than a movie; it's a dedicated movement creating awareness, dismantling stigmas, and impacting the well-being of rural Australia.

"Just A Farmer" breaks new ground, fostering understanding and assuring individuals they don't face darkness alone.

Date: Saturday 21 September 2024
Doors Open: 6.30PM
Movie Start Time: 7PM
Q&A: 9PM
Location: Wallis Cinema, 93 Deakin Avenue, Mildura
Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/just-a-farmer-nml-screening

Ticket includes movie screening, Q&A panel questions, popcorn and drink.