Kerry Wood is a VAD to Heart Transplant Patient. He is from Bonnyville, Alberta.

He describes his heart care journey as climbing three mountains.

First he survived living with heart failure for six years with medication. His initial heart failure was caused by a virus (otherwise known as viral cardiomyopathy). Second, when his heart health deteriorated he survived end stage heart failure and received a left ventricular assist device (L-VAD), a mechanical heart to help pump his blood, like mobile life-support. He has his L-VAD for 22 months and then received a call to receive his new heart.

The third – his heart transplant. After a year of recovery he is back to leading his normal life and is doing fantastic.

Supporting the Maz is important to him because 1 in 4 people will have problems with their hearts. So if it doesn’t happen to you, it will happen to someone you know and love.

Everyone at the Maz restored my life and has given me a future. They provided me with the greatest gift – life. That is worth supporting and sustaining