Bridgestone extends support for Heart of Australia

Remote mobile specialist healthcare organisation, Heart of Australia, will continue to have the support of Bridgestone beyond its 10-year anniversary, with Australia's most trusted tyre brand committing to a three-year partnership extension.

Bridgestone has provided tyres to the Heart of Australia organisation since its inception in 2014 and has continued to increase its support alongside Heart of Australia's growth from a single truck operation to the five-truck fleet of today.

The continued support from Bridgestone will assist in Heart of Australia's ability to deliver specialised care to rural and remote communities in Queensland, providing access to specialist medical consultations that would usually require travel to a city, and breaking the distance barrier that prevents positive health outcomes for regional Queenslanders.

Heart of Australia Founder, Dr Rolf Gomes, welcomed the continued commitment of Bridgestone driven by shared values of empowering communities through mobility.

"Our partnership with Bridgestone, keeps Heart of Australia rolling- quite literally. Through the tyre supply for our trucks, trailers, and support vehicles, Bridgestone ensures that we can continue connecting regional communities with specialised healthcare," Dr Gomes said.

"When the rubber hits the road, we know that we have partnered with an organisation that shares the Heart of Australia vision and mission."

Heart of Australia has facilitated appointments for more than 12,000 regionally based Australians across a range of specialist medical disciplines including cardiology, endocrinology, physiology and dietitian services. With the introduction of the new HEART 5 truck, Heart of Australia will also now be able to facilitate mobile radiology services through the innovative world-first battery operated CT scanner.

By taking the services to communities, Heart of Australia has saved more than 3.5 million kilometres of travel for patients in the 2021/22 financial year alone – highlighting the program's success of providing accessible healthcare services to communities with limited specialty services.

According to Bridgestone Australia & New Zealand Managing Director, Heath Barclay, the partnership has grown to become a shining example of Bridgestone's long-term vision of providing social value as a sustainable solutions company.

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"From what started back in 2014 as a handshake agreement, our association has grown to provide value to the community well beyond what we imagined, and we're thrilled to extend this partnership and continue to support the advancement of accessible, mobile health care," Mr Barclay said.

"We're proud of this partnership because it showcases Bridgestone's commitment to giving back to the community through our values. We're delighted to be able to work with Dr Gomes and his team to help deliver such a vital service to rural Australia."

Heart of Australia delivers specialist care to 33 communities in Queensland including Dalby, Stanthorpe, Goondiwindi, St George, Quilpie, Charleville, Miles, Roma, Childers, Biloela, Moura, Banana, Theodore, Blackall, Barcaldine, Longreach, Winton, Cloncurry, Hughenden, Charters Towers, Moranbah, Emerald, Richmond, Rolleston, Springsure, Middlemount, Sarina, Proserpine, Ayr, and Cooktown. Static clinics are provided in Palm Island and Weipa.