How a cardiac failure inspired Ian Fehring to help fund future cures.
It’s safe to say that Ian Fehring (Bachelor of Arts 1975, Bachelor of Laws 1981) is no stranger to stress. Ian has been involved in many litigated court cases in a range of courts. But in 2007, he suffered a significant cardiac failure following a viral infection. It prompted him not just to re-evaluate his lifestyle – but to consider his legacy.
Ian and his family are, sadly, no strangers to the complex, life-threatening impacts of heart disease. “My family history is appalling in terms of heart conditions,” he explains. Several of his uncles died of heart attacks or strokes. His parents also passed away due to cardiac complications, and cousins on both sides of his family have succumbed to similar issues.
And Ian is not alone. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Australia, killing one in every four people. Shockingly, every 12 minutes, one Australian dies from cardiovascular disease; that’s around 120 deaths every day.
Family ties
While Ian’s own heart failure was a result of a viral infection, he acknowledges that his family’s predisposition to cardiac problems may have made him more susceptible. Today, he still has a pacemaker and various medications – without which, he says, he “wouldn’t be alive”.
It was this personal struggle, plus his family history of cardiac issues, that inspired Ian to leave a gift in his Will to Monash University’s Victorian Heart Institute. “I’m pleased to support the research and the hospital’s work because it has a direct bearing on me in terms of my health issues,” Ian says. “When the new facility was opening, I felt it was appropriate because I had a [personal] connection.”
Fighting the cardio crisis
A world-leader in cardiovascular research, the Victorian Heart Institute is uniquely positioned to address cardiac issues like those faced by Ian and his family. Led by Professor Stephen Nicholls, the institute brings together researchers, clinicians and educators to solve the growing crisis of cardiovascular disease in Australia and beyond.
By collaborating with leaders from various fields outside of traditional medicine, the Institute explores novel approaches that deliver real change. It has an integrated teaching, research and healthcare model, which focuses on translating lab-side discoveries into practical, life-saving treatments.
The Institute’s research is based around five grand challenges: women’s heart health, underserved populations, personalised medicines and new technologies, and living well. The goal is to deliver solutions which diagnose and treat heart disease more efficiently, in a more personalised way, so more Australians can live long and well.
Lasting impact
And life-saving treatments, of course, begin with research. That’s why Ian’s gift in Will to Monash’s heart health research is not just a gift; it’s a commitment to the future of medical science. After confirming his bequest, Ian then chose to leave a lifetime gift as he believes that together, they can create a lasting impact. Ian understands and recognises that scientific progress and breakthroughs are the result of continual and persistent effort over many years, and he hopes his support will make a contribution to this.
“Medical research goes all over the place,” Ian reflects. “It’s not my intention to say, ‘I want you to only spend the money on X or Y’, because that’s just gazing into a crystal ball, and that’s not a good idea. I’m happy for the researchers to do what they think is best.”
Ian is pragmatic in his hopes for the future of heart health research. He doesn’t expect his gifts to lead directly to a groundbreaking cure, but he is optimistic that it will support projects that might otherwise go unfunded. “If they get lucky and have a breakthrough, well, that’ll be even better. But if they don’t, that’s just medical research,” he says. “It’s never easy, and it’s never a straight line.”
Making heart disease history
His gift in Will is also driven by a broader view of how medical research has evolved, the advances in healthcare over his lifetime and how they’ve extended the life expectancy for millions – himself included. “We are miles ahead of where we were as a community ten years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago. I wouldn’t be alive today if I’d been born 20 years earlier than I was, because the medical science and the medication just didn’t exist,” he points out.
After spending a lifetime helping individuals in the legal realm, Ian’s generous bequest and lifetime giving will help drive forward life-saving research, bringing us closer to a future where heart disease is a thing of the past. “I hope they will allow projects which might not otherwise be funded to get a start,” he says. “And I hope it contributes to improvements in healthcare for cardiac patients.”