Bikers visit Mullingar hospital to donate vital equipment to special care baby unit
Caroline Carty, assistant director of Nursing, Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, greeted members of the Bikers Ride Out For Prems at the hospital on Sunday afternoon to accept equipment they donated as part of their biannual charity drive.
Ms Carty said: “On behalf of all the management here in the hospital, I would like to thank sincerely all the bikers who have come here today who gave up their time to bring much needed equipment to the special care baby unit.
"We’ve just spoken to them they’ve handed over to us some invaluable equipment that we otherwise would not have or would have to wait a long time for, so we’d just like to thank them sincerely for their dedication and for their selflessness for doing this voluntarily for us here in Mullingar.”
Among the bikers was Philip Evans from Ballinagore, who said the group have been doing their charity run for 12 years, and he has been on 10 of those. They have raised more than €1m to date, he said.
Bikers Ride Out For Prems was born from the efforts of bike enthusiasts who were riding under the Blue Daos Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club Banner, who wanted to stand out from other motorcycle clubs and do something different to support the community.
Philip said most of the riders have personal connections to premature babies and/or their families, and therefore the cause means a lot to them.
Blue Daos is an international club, and the ride out at the weekend, which began in Drogheda on Friday morning and concluded at Mullingar hospital on Sunday evening, reflected that with members from Manchester and Albuquerque, who had made the journey to Ireland especially for the charity run.
About Bikers Ride Out For Prems
Bikers Ride Out For Prems is a non-profit charity and all members are voluntary, giving their time, support and effort to help children born too soon, too small or too sick. All funds raised go toward the purchase of vital lifesaving and life preserving medical equipment and equipment to aid parents during their babies stay in NICUs.
Funds are not handed over to hospitals; instead the bikers contact the NICU managers, who provide a wish list of what the unit needs, often equipment that is outside the annual budget of the hospital, or the HSE have refused the request.
This equipment is then delivered to 15 neonatal units during the Ride Out events every two years. The riders hope to raise more funds and eventually be in a position to help all 19 neonatal units in Ireland.
Their charity number is RCN: 20143671; email bikersrideoutforprems@gmail.com.