Bill & Dr Mike’s Skydive For Aneurysm Research
WHAT IS ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM (AAA)?
• The aorta is the main artery of the body.
•An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a dilatation (ballooning) in the aorta as it travels through the abdomen.
•This swelling can increase in size until it ruptures, causing a rapidly fatal
internal bleed.
WHY IS AAA A PROBLEM DOWN UNDER?
• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) kills ~2000 Australian’s every year, and is the 9th biggest killer of Australian men over the age of 65 years.
• AAA is asymptomatic, and about 100,000 Australians are living with this “silent killer” without even knowing it.
• If the AAA ruptures, there is an 80% chance the patient will die.
•Currently, there is no treatment other than surgery, which itself can kill 1-7% of patients that go under the knife.
• Each operation costs the tax payer $35,000 to repair, and 20% of these patients will need another surgery again in their lifetime.
• Each year it costs Australia ~$140 million.
• Australasia has the highest prevalence of AAA and highest rate of AAA mortality in the developed world.
• A new medical treatment for this disease is desperately needed.
WHO ARE BILL AND DR MIKE?
Bill is a Central Coast local who lives in Gosford with his wife of 70 years, Faye. Bill has an abdominal aortic aneurysm and is a bit of a local legend since he started his skydiving career at the age of 89. Bill plans to do this every year on his birthday for the rest of his days. He couldn’t do the dive last year because of the bushfire haze in the air, so is back again this year, and eager to fly.
Dr Michael Bourke (PhD), also a Central Coast local, is a biomedical researcher at the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), based at Gosford Hospital. Mike has been researching AAA for over a decade and is about to start the world’s largest ever clinical trial on AAA, searching for the first ever drug to slow the growth of AAA, reduce the need for surgery and reduce death from ruptures.
Mike and Bill met about 10 years ago when Mike started his research, and they have been friends ever since. When Bill invited Mike to dive with him this year, Mike couldn’t resist the opportunity to spread his wings with Bill and spread awareness about this devastating disease.
Identifying AAA at an early stage allows patients to live their life to the fullest and research into the disease will allow us to prevent it happening in the first place, or slow it’s progression if it does arise.
