MATTHEW HUFF'S FULL CIRCLE STORY
A GENEROUS HEART THAT NEEDED A LITTLE EXTRA TLC
Matthew Huff is a Disney Land loving father of three, husband of 25 years, and Kal Tire employee you may recognize. We first introduced Matthew in 2019, while he was in the cardiac unit at KGH waiting to be transferred to Victoria for ICD implantation – a cardiac procedure which, among others, we were hoping to bring to KGH.
Thankfully, donor support for the Right Here at KGH campaign meant that in 2020, we were able to complete Interior Health’s cardiac program by funding advanced heart rhythm services like electrophysiology. Since then, hundreds of patients have benefited from accessing the cardiac care they need, close to home. Little did Matthew know back then that he would be back at KGH as one of them.
Once Matthew returned home from his surgery in Victoria, life went back to normal until his health started to decline once again. A persistent chest infection sent Matthew to St. Paul’s in Vancouver, to one of only two surgeons in the province equipped to handle such complex surgery. The emotional and physical toll of being away from his family was immense.
“It felt like I was stuck again in a never-ending cycle of waiting – for my body to heal, to see my family, to have surgery, to feel better,” Matthew recalls.
Thankfully, once his body had healed, his second surgery took place at KGH in the very cardiac suite he had helped support!
“I truly cannot thank Donors to the KGH Foundation enough. As a dad, with a child that also has this gene, I am brought great comfort knowing that KGH will be here to help him live a normal life and navigate his condition with the best care and best equipment available.” -Matthew Huff, KGH Cardiac Patient
cardiac surgeries performed on average every year at KGH
Canadians aged 20 and up live with diagnosed heart disease
EP procedures at KGH since the program started in 2020
“When I arrived at KGH, it felt like a full-circle moment,” shares Mathew. “I couldn’t help but smile as I was put under – it was the very room my story had helped raise funds for. Everything was new, innovative, cutting edge, and modern.”
He credits the support from family and friends, home-cooked meals, modern technology, and exceptional care provided by the KGH team, all with having a profound impact on his recovery.
Thanks to generous donors, a state-of-the-art Electrophysiology (EP) lab is helping the increasing number of individuals in the region with heart issues. This support has equipped KGH’s innovative EP team with the tools to treat patients with more complex cases, and more patients in general, closer to home.
Patients just like Matthew.
“You gave me the gift of time with my family and the comfort of being surrounded by my loved ones when I needed it the most,” he shares.
“Our Electrophysiology program continues to expand not only with the volume of patients accessing our services but with the introduction of increasingly complex procedures,” shares Robyn Goplen, Program Director of IH Cardiac Services. “Our dynamic Electrophysiology team continues to grow and provide excellent care to patients experiencing heart rhythm challenges.”
