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Meet the ‘Blood Bikers’ Who Save Lives in the U.K. | National Geographic


he would be totally unnatural for you

he would be totally unnatural for you not to think about what has happened to

not to think about what has happened to

not to think about what has happened to the patient but the job may well have

the patient but the job may well have

the patient but the job may well have changed the course of somebody else’s

changed the course of somebody else’s

changed the course of somebody else’s life

the evening starts at about 7 p.m. for

the evening starts at about 7 p.m. for us hello the controller would ring you

us hello the controller would ring you

us hello the controller would ring you and say look okay I’ve got a run for you

and say look okay I’ve got a run for you

and say look okay I’ve got a run for you it is urgent it’s needed straightaway it

it is urgent it’s needed straightaway it

it is urgent it’s needed straightaway it can’t wait

can’t wait

can’t wait one box of platelets to go from junior

one box of platelets to go from junior

one box of platelets to go from junior to RO box the reason why we’re needed

to RO box the reason why we’re needed

to RO box the reason why we’re needed within our region is that the National

within our region is that the National

within our region is that the National Health Service nighttime weekend and

Health Service nighttime weekend and

Health Service nighttime weekend and bank holiday transport service might be

bank holiday transport service might be

bank holiday transport service might be one or two drivers within that area

one or two drivers within that area

one or two drivers within that area there’s 26 large hospitals any of whom

there’s 26 large hospitals any of whom

there’s 26 large hospitals any of whom could have an issue that you know comes

could have an issue that you know comes

could have an issue that you know comes up during the night the nationwide

up during the night the nationwide

up during the night the nationwide Association of blood bikes has a twenty

Association of blood bikes has a twenty

Association of blood bikes has a twenty five member groups at the moment

five member groups at the moment

five member groups at the moment consisting of one and a half thousand

consisting of one and a half thousand

consisting of one and a half thousand unpaid volunteers and in 2014 we

unpaid volunteers and in 2014 we

unpaid volunteers and in 2014 we responded to just over 39 thousand

responded to just over 39 thousand

responded to just over 39 thousand requests from various hospitals in the

requests from various hospitals in the

requests from various hospitals in the UK the items that we move have to be

UK the items that we move have to be

UK the items that we move have to be required for the clinical care of an NHS

required for the clinical care of an NHS

required for the clinical care of an NHS patient you have to be urgent

we do carry blood but we also carry

we do carry blood but we also carry rabies serum spinal fluid samples

rabies serum spinal fluid samples

rabies serum spinal fluid samples surgical instruments donor milk CD

surgical instruments donor milk CD

surgical instruments donor milk CD scanned without the alternatives for the

scanned without the alternatives for the

scanned without the alternatives for the hospitals are to either contact the

hospitals are to either contact the

hospitals are to either contact the police to take a frontline ambulance off

police to take a frontline ambulance off

police to take a frontline ambulance off the road or pay for taxi everything that

the road or pay for taxi everything that

the road or pay for taxi everything that we do for the NHS is done free of charge

we do for the NHS is done free of charge

we do for the NHS is done free of charge we serve the National Health Service

we serve the National Health Service

we serve the National Health Service hundreds of thousands of homes we like

hundreds of thousands of homes we like

hundreds of thousands of homes we like motorbike Inc so we’re putting that into

motorbike Inc so we’re putting that into

motorbike Inc so we’re putting that into practice and by filling that gap those

practice and by filling that gap those

practice and by filling that gap those pounds can then be converted into

pounds can then be converted into

pounds can then be converted into another nurse and a doctor another piece

another nurse and a doctor another piece

another nurse and a doctor another piece of equipment that is really the essence

of equipment that is really the essence

of equipment that is really the essence of it for us I have observed some

of it for us I have observed some

of it for us I have observed some bracelets already please I remember on

bracelets already please I remember on

bracelets already please I remember on one occasion I took some platelets to

one occasion I took some platelets to

one occasion I took some platelets to Royal Berkshire Hospital and when I got

Royal Berkshire Hospital and when I got

Royal Berkshire Hospital and when I got there the hospital technician said that

there the hospital technician said that

there the hospital technician said that he desperately needed this because he

he desperately needed this because he

he desperately needed this because he had a child that wouldn’t stop bleeding

had a child that wouldn’t stop bleeding

had a child that wouldn’t stop bleeding we slept the quite an impression on me

we slept the quite an impression on me

we slept the quite an impression on me afterwards and I thought well maybe I’ve

afterwards and I thought well maybe I’ve

afterwards and I thought well maybe I’ve helped maybe just that much and when you

helped maybe just that much and when you

helped maybe just that much and when you realize that that scenario replicated

realize that that scenario replicated

realize that that scenario replicated across the UK thousands of times a year

across the UK thousands of times a year

across the UK thousands of times a year by people doing exactly what you do in a

by people doing exactly what you do in a

by people doing exactly what you do in a volunteering role it’s exceptionally

volunteering role it’s exceptionally

volunteering role it’s exceptionally humbling experience

humbling experience

humbling experience you

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