A.H.Couch
Auckland Heart Trust
WHAT WE DO
The A. H. Couch Heart Trust (Auckland Hospital) (2015) is a charitable trust set up by Arthur Couch in 1972. It invites applications for financial support towards cardiology continuing education and research within the Auckland region.
Grants up to $25,000 may be made on a case by case basis, subject to availability of funds and at the discretion of Trustees. Typical grants have been towards small research projects or higher study, and recipients have included Cardiologists, Cardiology Registrars, Cardiac MRTs, Nurses, Cardiac Physiologists, Sonographers and Biostatisticians. The Trust assisted the establishment of the inaugural cardiac catheterisation laboratory at North Shore Hospital.
HISTORY
THE TRUST WAS established in November 1972 through the generosity of the late Arthur Herbert Couch.
Arthur Couch was the owner of a North Shore Printing Company – Tanner Couch Printers – and though originally from the U.K, lived most of his life on the North Shore. He had been a patient in the Coronary Care Unit at Auckland Hospital under the care of Dr Kevin O’Brien. Kevin and Arthur became good friends. Prior to establishing the Trust discussions were undertaken with the Auckland Hospital Medical Superintendent and with Dr Michael Gilmour (Chairman of Auckland Public Hospital Physicians).
Arthur Couch funded the legal expenses for the establishment of the Trust, donated $10,000 and funded printing of brochures which were given to patients – attracting a number of smaller donations. The Trust Deed specified that the funds were held in trust by NZ Insurance Co (later to become Guardian Trust).
In January 1973, Inland Revenue agreed to make donations to the Couch Trust tax deductible and the Trust was recognised as a Charitable Trust.
The initial Trustees were Arthur Couch, Kevin O’Brien and Gaby Tetro (Arthur Couch’s G.P.).
Auckland Hospital Cardiology staff helped to attract donations to the Trust with the intent to help fund hospital equipment such as Cardiac ultrasound.
In 1986 Professor P. J. Scott joined the Board of Trustees; In 1998 – after the death of Dr Tetro, Dr Warren Smith joined the Board of Trustees. Arthur Couch retired as a Trustee in 1998 and was replaced by Dr Pat Frengley. Kevin O’Brien retired in 2013.
In 2001, the Couch Trust received a legacy of approximately $75,000 from the Estate of Alan Frederick Rolfe who been a patient of Kevin O’Brien.
Each year since its inception, the Trust has made grants for education and research in the field of cardiovascular disease.
- Kevin O’Brien
Jill Couch tells the story of her husband's heart attack, and how it led to the birth of the A. H. Couch Auckland Heart Trust.
Arthur was rushed into Auckland Hospital with a serious heart attack in 1972. Under the guidance of his GP, Gaby Tetro, and cardiologist, Kevin O’Brien, Arthur spent quite some time recuperating from this traumatic experience. On waking up to realise he had survived, he observed all the splendid support he was receiving from the doctors, nurses, and other staff. Without all of them combined he felt one’s survival would not be so positive.
Whilst resting day after day in his room he was feeling sad and depressed and felt the room didn’t have an uplifting feeling with no art on the wall to look at. Staff explained to him that heart patients often feel depressed as part of the condition they are going through, and things would improve for him eventually.
That was when Arthur decided to provide financial support for a wide range of Cardiology Department needs – from assisting practitioners to attend key research conferences, to improving staff skills on new cardiac diagnostic equipment. Arthur’s new trust even proved to be a stimulus for more art on the hospital walls.
Arthur passed away in November 2002, aged 86 years, but the work of the A.H. Couch Auckland Heart Trust continues. For nearly 50 years, the trust has supported Auckland Hospital cardiology and now North Shore Hospital cardiology as well. Every new donation to the trust helps further Arthur’s dream of making sure every person admitted with heart illness will be treated in the same comforting way he experienced all those years ago, with highly-educated practitioners and support staff keeping the survival rate as high as possible.
Jill & Arthur Couch
TRUSTEES
Mayanna Lund
Cardiologist
Gregory Shanahan
Solicitor
Boris Lowe
Cardiologist
Guy Armstrong
Cardiologist
David Cleal
Investment Advisor
Jill Couch
Patron
Please feel free to contact the trustees if you have ideas that may benefit from support by the Trust.
Enquiries regarding further donations to the Trust are welcome.
recipientS
Recipients of A. H. Couch Trust Heart Foundation Scholarship
The A. H. Couch Trust Heart Foundation Scholarship was set up 2020 to foster a predictable pipeline of medical doctors who are also cardiovascular research scientists. Supporting the best and brightest of NZ’s talent will enhance cardiology research and clinical practice across the board.
2023
Devin Tonkin
University of Otago PhD and third-year medical student, will be investigating the potential of a new therapy called a “microRNA cocktail” to restore normal levels of microRNA in a failing heart.
2023
Thomas Pirker
(Kāi Tahu, Te Ātiawa)
University of Otago PhD and third-year medical student will be researching the biological activity of a novel inflammatory protein called suPAR (soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor) at the Christchurch Heart Institute.
Thomas was recently awarded the prestigious Young Investigator’s Award for 2023 from the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ).
2023
Mathew Shuen
(Ngāti Ranginui)
University of Otago PhD and first-year medical student will be unravelling the cellular biology of the ageing heart. His research will examine how levels of nuclear pore complex proteins in heart muscle cells change with patient ageing.
2022
KYRA BINGHAM
Otago University intercalated PhD and medical degree Influence of epicardial adipose tissue on cardiac arrhythmias.
2021
Charlotte Greer
M.D. Christchurch
Studies Involve the right ventricular structure and function in young adults born preterm at very low birth weight.
2020
DANIEL CHAN
M.D. Auckland, now Whangarei
Heart failure epidemiology in NZ.
DONATIONS
Let's Talk
The Trust is immensely grateful to these recent donors:
Jill Couch
Macquarie
Peter and Michaela Venning
Kevin Kellow
Cliff and Karen Wales
Bernie and Carol Brenner
Dick and Jenny Johnson
Donations can be made at any time to:
A H Couch Heart Trust
12-3050-0055855-00