When she turned 47, Robyn Gattera felt it was time to visit her doctor.
"I just called the surgery … and they said it was the perfect age for a routine check-up," she said.
"They checked my blood pressure, weight, height, I had a blood test … and they discovered I had an atrial septal defect in my heart, which was something I was born with."
It led to months of specialist appointments and successful surgery.
One comment from her surgeon stuck with Ms Gattera.
"During my last visit with him, I said 'Oh, it was really nice to meet you,' and he said, 'Robyn, I would have met you in 20 years time with heart failure, so I'm glad that I've met you now,'" she said.
"In that moment, I just went 'Wow' — and had the realisation that my quality of life for 60 and 70 might not have been as great as it can be now."
Ms Gattera's GP Cathryn Hester said the case showed the importance of preventive health checks.
"Early detection absolutely saves lives," she said.
"We know that … people who have a regular GP and have regular health checks are much less likely to become unwell and much less likely to need hospital visits.
"That helps the overall health system as well as the individual patient."
Birth to young adulthood
Preventive health care starts before birth when the whooping cough vaccine is administered to pregnant women.
A health and development book is issued when a baby is born.
It is known as the red book in Queensland, the green book in Victoria, and the blue book in NSW.
It includes information on appointments, a growth and health record, and immunisation details.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners recommends a "Healthy Kids Check" when a child turns four.
"We would commonly talk to teenagers about mental health, balancing exercise and healthy eating habits and sun protection, and also making sure that they are up to date with their vaccinations," Dr Hester said.
"In your 20s and 30s, we start to think about sexual health and also reproductive health.
"Recently, genetic reproductive carrier screening testing has become more widely available."
At this age, regular skin checks for melanoma are recommended.
Cervical screening starts at the age of 25.
Path to longevity at 40
Dr Hester said the age of 40 was a "really good time to talk about your individual risk factors for illness and how you might manage things to make sure that you stay well in the future".
"Because we know a few small changes in your 40s and 50s can really impact on how well you stay throughout those next few decades of your life," she said.
At 40, regular blood pressure and cholesterol checks are encouraged and the 45-year-old health check — the same check that discovered Robyn's heart anomaly — is available.
"Cardiovascular health is terrifically important," Dr Hester said.
"If we don't look after it, it can be one of those silent things that sneaks up on you and results in you being very unwell, especially later in life."
Staying fabulous at 50
When you hit 50 you will receive a bowel cancer screening kit in the mail.
Dr Hester said the kit would not be of much use sitting in a drawer.
"While it's a little bit icky to do it — or to even think or talk about it — it's a really important thing to do for your future health," she said.
From 50, women are also encouraged to have mammograms every two years.
At 65, the focus is making sure flu, pneumonia, COVID-19, and shingles vaccinations are all up to date.
Those steps are recommended for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders aged 50 and older.
At 75, bone density and cognitive function are often tested, and you'll visit the doctor for a fitness-to-drive check.
The federal government's National Preventive Health Strategy has aimed for Australians to have "at least an additional two years of life lived in full health by 2030".
After her experience with her heart, Ms Gattera begins every year the same way, scheduling a regular check-up, whether she feels sick or not.
"I share this story with all my girlfriends," she said.
"I feel that it's just part and parcel of that maintenance that I do.
"I check my car once a year — so yeah, that's what I do."