Media release from Health Promotion Agency

Former All Black captain and hard man Wayne 'Buck' Shelford is urging men to front up over their health.

Shelford is the face of a national awareness campaign to encourage men to visit their family doctor or nurse to get a heart health check. He will be at VTNZ's depot in Parnell (65-71 the Strand) at lunchtime today asking customers getting a warrant of fitness for their car 'How's Your engine - get your heart checked'.

VTNZ and Shelford are lending their support to the campaign developed by the Health Promotion Agency (HPA) in association with the Heart Foundation and Pharmac.

"It's a simple message; you regularly check your car; it's also essential to get your heart checked," says Wayne.

Wayne says he has been on a health journey himself with a well publicised battle with cancer and weight issues.  Having beaten both, he now wants to encourage other men to look after themselves.

"The problem is we kiwi men are too staunch to go to the doctor for a general check up. Men generally, and Maori and Pacific men in particular, don't look after themselves as well as women.
"We've got all the excuses. 'I don't have time'; 'I'm not sick'. Many men might not have a check-up for years, if ever. We need to get rid of that attitude."
Wayne says Maori and Pacific men are at high risk.  For example, for Maori the statistics show that heart disease mortality is about two times higher for Maori than non-Maori. Of Maori who die from heart disease, nearly 50% are aged 45-65, compared to 18% in non-Maori.

"So more of us are dying and we are dying younger."

"We need to make the time to look after ourselves because at the end of the day, it's not just about us. It's being there for our families.  We're the senior warrior in our families and they need us to be around."

Today's launch is ahead of World Heart day on Saturday September 29 when radio advertisements encouraging listeners to get a heart health check will begin. The radio spots utilise Wayne in a clever play on the famous line of 'Bring back Buck'.
 
"After the launch the campaign emphasis will move to regional initiatives drawing on existing 'local champions' as spokespeople and regional and community events," said HPA General Manager Stakeholder Relations Tane Cassidy.

Mr Cassidy thanked VTNZ for their involvement in what was an important health issue. VTNZ would be handing out leaflets throughout October to customers at all its stations nationwide urging them to get their heart checked, he said.