Changemakers - Steve Quinn

Above: Paceline founder Steve Quinn.

Paceline founder Steve Quinn, a management professional who lives in Melbourne with his wife and two children, is profiled in Changemakers, a column that examines inspiring people and their careers in the Not for Profit sector.

Paceline is a Not for Profit incorporated association which aims to increase community awareness of cardiac arrhythmias and raise funds to further research into their causes and treatments. It holds a cycling event each year to raise funds for medical research. Quinn founded Paceline in 2009.

1. What drew you to the Not for Profit sector?

Being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter at a young age and then quickly realising it was a significant problem but there wasn’t a community voice or organisation to provide support.

Around one-in-five of the half million Australians who have atrial fibrillation don’t know they have the condition. I felt I was one of the lucky ones and that heightened awareness could make the difference between life and death for thousands of Australians. That’s what inspired me to establish Paceline.

2. What is the best thing about working in the Not for Profit sector?

The people I get to meet and work with through Paceline and their enormously positive outlook and enthusiasm for life. Also seeing the impact of the work we do; making a difference to people’s lives is enormously inspiring and rewarding.

3. I consider my greatest achievement to be……

My kids, they are brilliant.

4. Favorite saying …

“Embrace the pain!” It was a fantastic mantra to have while we scaled the peaks of Mount Kosciuszko and Mount Hotham in this year’s ride.

5. I’m always being asked …

“Where do I get the time to do all of this?” The answer is I make time because I don’t want anyone to go through what I did. I want to spread the message that there is life beyond an arrhythmia. Similarly, it’s important that people don’t take their heart for granted and have their pulse checked every now and again. The more people that know that, the better.

6. My greatest challenge is …

Making sure Paceline continues to grow and make a difference to people’s lives.

7. If you could do or be anything else, what would it be?

I wish I was a younger version of me, but still know what I do today. I would choose not to have an arrhythmia, but would definitely still be doing Paceline!