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Thread: Family history of heart disease and more

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Posts
    7

    Default Family history of heart disease and more

    My husband has a family history of heart disease as his father developed heart problems in his late forties and died at 54 of a heart attack. He also had diabetes, gout and just about everything else.

    My husband is in his mid-thirties and has a high BMI (of 38, partly due to his Hawaiian heritage), as well as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He's on medication and both are well managed. He's also working on getting his weight down. He did his schooling in Australia and passed the medicals there with his family history, but that was prior to being diagnosed with his medical conditions.

    We are just beginning the process of trying to emigrate to NZ. While he is a furniture/cabinet maker, those skills are no longer on the skills shortage list, so we would most likely apply under me if I can get a job offer (I work in International Development/Public Relations/Event Planning). I am concerned about putting a lot of resources into this quest if we'll be denied due to medicals. Will my husband's health/history be as highly considered even if it is my application?

    Thanks for any help and advice!

    Thank you!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Dairy Flat, Auckland
    Posts
    1,789

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jprins View Post



    Will my husband's health/history be as highly considered even if it is my application?

    Thanks for any help and advice!

    Thank you!
    In a word yes.
    I was the partner and Caroline was the applicant and I have Diabetes and i was referred to the medical assessor because they are concerned that in the future you could be a drain on the system if you develop further medical complications so they take each person no matter who the applicant is with the same view. Having said that I did not need a medical waiver but they will need to look into your husbands medical condition which hopefully they will accept. I wish you all the best for the future

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    37,824

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    Hello and welcome.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Thank you for your sharing your experience. I guess our next step is to start dieting!!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Bristol, UK -> Nelson!
    Posts
    481

    Default

    Your husband's health will be considered regardless of who is the primary applicant. However it is just his state of health that will be looked at, rather than his family history.

    Well managed hypertension and high cholesterol shouldn't in themselves be a bar to emigration (although you will be referred to the MA for confirmation that he won't cost the NZ health service too much so be prepared for a slightly longer timeframe with the application).

    His high BMI will be more of an issue and there are lots of threads detailing stories where people have had to get their BMI down to below 35 to be acceptable to the MA. Good luck with the diet!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Thanks KatieBen. We're hoping to apply for the Silver Fern visas in April - so plenty of work to do between now and then!!

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