On Tuesday 20th October, South West Blood Bikes Chair of Trustees Steve Dower, made this impactful speech at the anniversary celebration with BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 

 

“It is fact that we covered 249k miles last year and this year it looks like we will cover a similar mileage.  For context that is the equivalent of travelling 10 times around the earth’s equator! In doing this we saved the NHS and Hospices of Devon around £407 thousand pounds – money better spent on front line care rather than taxis or commercial couriers.  We NEVER charge for our services!

 

Those are impressive statistics, but they ignore (and it is easy to forget) the most important, human aspects of our work.  South West Blood Bikes plays a small but important part in the care provided by the NHS and Hospices across Devon.  So….we are not just delivering urgent medical consignments 365 days of the year

 

When we deliver human donor breast milk, we help bring potentially lifesaving sustenance to the premature babies and reassurance to their parents.

 

When we deliver blood or plasma, we help deliver a lifeline for the patient undergoing surgery

 

When we deliver heart monitors we help bring composure where there is concern

 

When we deliver medicines we help bring respite from illness

 

When we deliver samples for diagnosis, we help bring certainty where there were health worries

 

When we deliver for hospices, we help deliver serenity and comfort to patients in their final days

 

And when we deliver stem cells, we help bring hope to the patients who are undergoing cancer treatment, and to their families and loved ones.”