Maketū’s Shane Beech reflects on life after his mid-election campaign heart attack forced him to step back

On a cool August morning, a heart attack turned Shane Beech’s life upside down. Affectionately known by some as the unofficial mayor of Maketū, he is a stalwart of the Bay of Plenty village famed for its pies and as the landing site of the Te Arawa canoe. He has worn many hats — Coastguard president, volunteer firefighter (and former fire chief), community board chairman, business owner. But after his brush with death, he had to step back and reassess. Can he stick to life in the slow lane? He talks to senior reporter Kiri Gillespie.

Shane Beech doesn’t know if it was “fate or coincidence” that put him in a medical centre just as he started having a heart attack.

The 59-year-old was going in for his six-monthly check-up when he experienced tightness in his chest and difficulty breathing.

At first, the Maketū Coastguard president — who was also running in an election — thought it was indigestion.

Instead, the doctor told him he was having a heart attack.

“Whether you call it fate or coincidence, I had it in a medical centre which is probably one of the best places to have one.”

Beech was treated, bundled into an ambulance and rushed to Tauranga Hospital, where he spent five days in hospital “and underwent a lot of procedures and treatments”.

“It was very serious,” he says.

“Basically it was a heart attack possibly brought on by stress and overdoing things.”

The Heart Foundation says a lot is still unknown about how stress affects the body, but what is known is that it increases adrenaline levels and feeling stressed over long periods - more than three months - can seriously affect health.

“Long-term stress means that you constantly have a higher level of adrenaline in your body, increasing your blood sugar, your blood pressure and making your muscles tense.

“This increases your risk of heart attack or stroke.”

The foundation’s website lists tips for managing stress to lower the risk, including talking about how you are feeling, exercising daily and planning feel-good activities.

After his heart attack, life took a dramatic turn for Maketū's unofficial mayor.

Beech’s brother and wife took over running his businesses, the Maketū Beach Holiday Park and Beachside Cafe and Restaurant, for six months. Beech’s community roles were effectively stalled and he ended his election campaign.

The Coastguard president, former volunteer fire chief, community ward chairman, and business owner-operator was suddenly confronted with an awful lot of downtime.

At a sunny table in his cafe, nearly a year on, Beech says he had “a bit of a career change” that had led to him “downplaying some of my roles”.

But it’s soon evident Beech is not one to sit idle long, despite his health scare.

“After my event, a lot of the time I previously spent on the community, I dedicated and put into my businesses,” he says.

Shane Beech, a member of Maketū Community Board for 12 years, stepped down last year after suffering from a heart attack. Photo / Alex Cairns

“We’re now working extremely hard in rebranding and improving, upgrading both the holiday park and the cafe and restaurant. We are now known as Maketū Beachside Haven.”

Beech says that after 15 years working with RSE workers, the business was angling more towards tourism with more “boutique accommodation”.

“Obviously, the cafe and restaurant will have lots of renovations and upgrading.”

Beech also admitted he is back with the Maketū Volunteer Fire Brigade in a secretarial and treasurer capacity. He only responds to callouts “if I really need to”.

Beech has also clung to his role as Maketū Coastguard president.

“Really, the only hat I’ve taken off was obviously the council role,” Beech says.

Beech was among the candidates running to be Maketū's councillor in the Western Bay of Plenty District Council elections.

His heart attack forced him to step down two weeks before voting opened. His name, however, was still on the ballot and he received enough votes, 1688, to have been elected — had he still been running.

“That was a bittersweet moment,” Beech says.

“Obviously, having the health scare which forced me to resign from the election with no campaigning or debates, still being elected was very humbling in itself.”

Beech spent 12 years on the local community board, three as chairman.

The heart attack gave Beech time to reflect on both his physical and mental self, “to get myself back on track”, he says.

“Obviously, the medication I’m on is working. I’ve changed my lifestyle and I’m looking at life differently.”

Beech says stopping his roles, albeit briefly in most cases, had been “huge”.

“It’s given me time to look at life. Where I probably didn’t spend much time on myself or family, or business, I am now.”

Doctors told Beech he had unstable angina, a heart condition likely inherited, he says.

Beech says he still loved and enjoyed helping the community “but I’ve done a bit of a 180, trying to get more focus back on myself and the business”.

“It is quite time-demanding - two seven-day businesses, employing up to 12 staff, keeping things going - but I still love challenges.

“I love to learn new things. The day you stop learning is the day you start dying.”

Beech was looking forward to celebrating his 60th birthday in a couple of weeks.

“Life is good,” he says.

Shane Beech, a member of Maketū Community Board for 12 years, stepped down last year after suffering from a heart attack. Photo / Alex Cairns

How to spot a heart attack

If you or a person you know are experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack below, call 111 immediately.

• Pain – which may feel like pressure, squeezing or a burning sensation across the front of your chest. It may spread to your neck, shoulder, jaw, back, upper abdomen or either arm. It may last more than a few minutes.
• Palpitations (when your heartbeat is unusually strong, fast or uneven).
• Fainting, dizziness, sweating, nausea, vomiting or shortness of breath.

Note: It’s important to know that not everyone having a heart attack gets chest pain.

• They may have only neck, jaw, ear, arm or upper abdominal discomfort.
• Some people complain only of shortness of breath, severe weakness, light-headedness, sweating, or nausea and vomiting.
• Older people may just seem to be more confused and not complain of pain at all.

- Source: Ministry of Health

Tips for stressing less

• Talk about what you are feeling (with your partner, a close friend or family member)
• Do some exercise every day. Getting out into the fresh air and being active can really help to lift your mood. You can start with something simple like a ten-minute walk
• Plan some activities that you enjoy or make you feel good, for example, walking on the beach or reading a book. Decide which of these activities you want to do each day. Be realistic. It is better to do something you are able to do rather than to feel bad because you’ve tried to do too much.
• Ask your doctor or nurse for help. They may be able to teach you some breathing exercises or offer medications to help with your stress.

- Source: Heart Foundation