Health

Rheumatic fever: Jason Gurney’s new book on growing up with a sick parent - and fighting back against the disease

The pain of growing up with a sick parent, and tackling the disease as an adult.

THREE KEY FACTS: Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory autoimmune disease. Usually contracted in childhood, it starts with a sore throat and, left untreated, can cause serious, life-long damage to the heart . New Zealand has one of the highest rates of rheumatic fever in the world.

Dr Jason Gurney is director of the Cancer and Chronic Conditions (C3) Research Group at the University of Otago. OPINION Epidemiologist Jason Gurney (Ngāpuhi) experienced the pain of growing up with a sick parent, watching his former rugby-playing father’s struggle with rheumatic heart disease. Now he’s fighting back against the condition and sharing his story.

Gurney’s childhood was plagued by emergency night-time drives to get his dad to hospital and panicky hours waiting for medical help..