Heart Surgery Survivors Give Back to Albury Wodonga Health This World Heart Day
Tuesday, 29 September 2026 / Albury Wodonga Health
A group of heart surgery survivors has turned their own recovery into a mission to help others. This World Heart Day, Albury Wodonga Health (AWH) presented the Border Zipper Club and Birallee Tavern Social Club with Certificates of Appreciation, recognising their support for cardiac rehabilitation and the recovery journey of local heart patients.
The two groups have donated a combined $2,500 to AWH's Wodonga Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, funding a new leg press to help patients rebuild strength during recovery. Members of the Border Zipper Club also volunteer their time to help train AWH clinicians in cardiac ultrasound.
Sarah Roach, Ambulatory Rehabilitation Team Leader at Albury Wodonga Health, said the contribution would make a real difference for patients.
"The new leg press will directly support patients rebuilding strength and confidence after surgery. But equipment is only part of the picture - peer connection, like that offered through the Border Zipper Club, can make all the difference in helping people stay engaged in their recovery."
Albury Wodonga Health Foundation Manager, Anthea Maher said the groups' generosity reflected the many forms community support can take.
"Community generosity takes many forms - funds raised, but also time given and experience shared with others walking a path they know firsthand. The Border Zipper Club shows what's possible when people turn their own experience into something positive for others, and together with the Birallee Tavern Social Club and The Haus of Meat, they're helping strengthen care for the patients who come after them."
The Border Zipper Club began four and a half years ago when six local men, all recovering from open-heart surgery, started meeting for lunch. It has since grown to around 78 members across Albury, Wodonga, Corowa, Rutherglen, Stanley, Wooragee and surrounding communities, offering peer support to people at every stage of cardiac recovery - from those four months post-surgery to one member whose operation was 33 years ago.
Carolyn Bokhove, Member and Secretary of The Border Zipper Club, said finding others who understood what she was going through made a real difference in her own recovery, and encouraged new members to get involved for the same reason.
“Every one of us has a scar that tells a story, and we've decided to use ours for good. Connecting with others who've been through the same thing is incredibly powerful, and that's what we offer each other, an informal network of people who understand. If we can make the road back easier for the next person, that's the best reward we could ask for.”, she added.