By CASEY NEILL
DEAN Carroll didn’t know he was a Heart Kid until he was all grown up.
The financial controller at Dandenong South’s JDN Monocrane said a routine check-up at age 51 detected a hole in his heart and a rhythm problem.
In 2009 surgeons opened his chest and corrected the defect, which had been present since birth.
“It took me six months to get any strength back,” he said.
Mr Carroll will swap his suit for a Robin superhero costume on Thursday 19 February to show his support for kids with a similar diagnosis.
The first HeartKids Super Boss Day will raise funds for research and to support children with childhood heart disease (CHD) and their families.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australian children aged under one and heart defects are the most common birth abnormality in the country, affecting one in 100 babies.
Many colleagues from neighbouring businesses will join Mr Carroll to support the cause, including Ash Hempenstall who’ll dress as Batman.
“We want to make it Dandenong-wide,” he said.
“It’s all about awareness.”
He said his diagnosis “explained a few things, that’s for sure”.
He played sport as a child but often suffered shortness of breath, and recalled blacking out in 2006 after helping someone push their stalled car from the road.
“I came back to my car and I just collapsed for a couple of hours,” he said.
“I just woke up and I was supposed to be at work.
“You think ‘I overexerted, I’m just unfit’.”
He said he missed the flags.
“Lying in bed of a night and feeling my heart bounce all over the place – I thought that was normal,” he said.
“Don’t delay with your heart. If it’s a problem, go and see about it.”
Visit www.superbossday.org.au to get involved.
