Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation

As a retired paramedic, 64-year-old Brent Kelland knew all too well the warning signs of a heart attack, but he brushed off pain in his upper abdomen, attributing it to too many holiday sweets. Then one day while cross country skiing, Brent noticed the pain eerily extending into his chest and back.

The pain in his abdomen hadn’t eased up, so Brent scheduled his annual medical appointment hoping for some answers. Gastrointestinal issues were ruled out and Brent was provided with directions to undergo a stress test as soon as possible. Because of a cancelation, he was able to get in that afternoon, and after less than five minutes on the treadmill was told to go to the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. This was not good news.

Brent was suffering severe impairment in his heart from a 90% blockage of his largest coronary artery. He was in shock when it was confirmed he would need a heart stent, a small tube placed in a coronary artery to help keep it open. Having watched the same procedure many times from the observation room, it was now his turn on the operating table.

“As a paramedic, I was equipped with medical knowledge, technology, and backup. But that does not mean that people trained with this armour have the same defense when it comes to personal situations.” - Brent Kelland, CK Hui Patient

A few days later, his wife Elke dropped him off at the CK Hui Heart Centre for his procedure. As he prepared for the operation, Brent felt a deep emptiness and fear like no other, knowing how close he was to experiencing a major blockage. But Brent had great confidence in medicine, especially cardiac medicine, and the doctors understood his background and treated him as though he was on their team. 

“My surgeon had more confidence than any man I’ve ever met, and with his skill and knowledge, he earned every right to it. He knew patients were people and walked me through the entire procedure because that’s where I was most comfortable. The CK Hui crew let me be me.” -Brent Kelland, CK Hui Patient

In less than an hour, Brent was sitting up in his hospital bed, his wife greeting him in the doorway. He asked what kind of damage he had as a result of the event and was told that although he was circulating by a thread, that thread kept everything alive.

He returned to his cardiologist a year from his surgery to receive answers on the state of his heart. There was no evidence a stent was even placed and enlargement in the left side of his heart (detected immediately after his stent procedure) had completely subsided. Trembling as a wave of emotion washed over him, Brent asked if he would ever be able to ski again. And in one simple “yes,” he was gifted his life back. He left for the Rocky Mountains the very next day to go skiing with one of his best friends. 

Brent has yet to let one day go by without recognizing every bit of value and joy it brings. From time spent with the love of his life Elke and watching his son Andrew take after him in healthcare, to travelling across Europe and riding his motorbike freely into the days he now has — all because of the dedicated people behind the CK Hui Heart Centre. 

If you would like to support the CK Hui Heart Centre and patients like Brent, you may donate here.