Blood Bike Midwest needs volunteers

Bikers are urgently required for a voluntary service to deliver urgently needed blood and other products for premature and ill babies from the Mid West around the country.

Blood Bike MidWest is charitable organisation established in October 2012, that acts as an Emergency Rider Voluntary Service which aims to relieve sickness and protect health by the provision of transport of urgently needed blood, blood products, patient records, drugs, breast milk for premature and ill babies and other medical requirements between hospitals, blood transfusion banks and the human milk bank, primarily but not exclusively in the Mid West Region.

Blood Bikers now operate a regular rota at weekends at the University Maternity Hospital Limerick transporting documentation and records to and from the University Hospital Limerick and regularly ride to Athlone to collect urgently needed breast milk for premature babies.

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“This service has made a huge difference to the way the milk bank can function,” said milk bank manager, Ann Mc Crea. “Milk can now be delivered seven days a week and to all parts of Ireland. Milk that has been screened, pasteurised and tested leaves the Human Milk Bank, and travels in special cold chain boxes designed to fit on the carrier of a motor bike.”

With demand constantly growing for the services of the organisation the number of bike riders required is also growing. If you are interested in volunteering as a bike rider and want to see if you are eligible you can get more info at www.bloodbikemidwest.ie.

As the charity does not receive any government funding they are consequently dependent on fundraising activities and private donations. Therefore they are making a special appeal to schools and businesses to consider taking on Blood Bike Mid West as their targeted charity to assist with their running costs over the coming year.