Siblings’ charitable donation funds life-saving heart research and community support
A brother and sister’s generous charitable gift is helping save lives in Timaru and improving the heart health of those in the region.
Arthur (Jim) and Marie Schmelz set up the Nova Charitable Trust in 2008 as they wanted to create a lasting legacy to enhance the lives of others. The Trust, administered by Public Trust, was set up while they were alive but was boosted significantly by their estates when they both died.
Fast forward 17 years, and Jim and Marie’s charitable contribution is funding thousands of dollars of life-saving research and community services for the Heart Foundation in the South Island. Since 2017, $234,000 has been gifted to the Heart Foundation exclusively for projects in Timaru and South Canterbury.
The Nova Charitable Trust helps fund a heart health promoter role in Timaru, performed by Marthy Cloake.
Marthy’s job is to visit workplaces and communities, provide education, resources to support people and families on their heart health journeys. Assisting and supporting people is her passion.
Marthy says people can often be quite shocked to find they have high blood pressure, and are often grateful it has been identified, and they can work through next steps.
“When we have a conversation, people feel reassured and are grateful to have a listening ear.”
If Marthy identifies high blood pressure in a person, she encourages them to visit their GP.
“Often we meet them later on, say in the supermarket, and they tell you they visited the GP, and now they’re on medication and they tell you they are feeling so much better. That makes me feel like we are making a difference.”
Alexis Sawyers, the Heart Foundation’s Trusts and Foundations and Gifts in Wills Specialist, says Marthy’s role helps promote the importance of heart health, as well as providing much-needed support and information if you have a heart condition.
“Around 180,000 people in New Zealand are currently living with heart disease. Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from heart disease,” Alexis explains.
“So many of the deaths are both premature and preventable,” she says.
Sawyers says Jim and Marie’s generosity and long-term view to help people in the region was “so visionary”.
“They’re saving lives with their legacy which is incredible. The Heart Foundation relies on donations, grants and bequests and the Nova Trust has been a very generous supporter. We’re grateful for the support and its funding is vital.”
Just like gifts in wills, research helps communities far into the future by shaping the way healthcare is delivered.
“While we need the support for the here and now, we need the breakthroughs, techniques and procedures for our future generations, so they can continue to live long healthy lives.
“Many people do not think about the impact gifts in wills can have to a charity. Small or large, all of them make a difference for generations to come.”