On 1 March, the Stroke Rehabilitation Team at Montagu Hospital completed a 24-hour cycle, raising a staggering £1,955 to improve stroke survivors experience during rehabilitation.
The 24 participating staff members took it in turns between 3pm on 1 March and 3pm on 2 March to keep the pedals running ‘like clockwork’.
The funds raised will be used to procure an accessible potting bench and enhance their balcony area for patient use.
Daniel Wheater, Stroke Rehabilitation Therapy Team Lead at Montagu Hospital, said: “I asked the team if they fancied a 24-hour bike ride. After a few concerned looks they all said yes.
“We swapped tunics for jerseys and paperwork for pedals and channelled the energy of our hard-working patients.”
A keen cyclist, Daniel realised he could combine his passion for helping patients with his love of cycling to do something that would make a difference.
Paired up, the team were allocated two-hour slots and cycled one hour each.
With sweets and snacks as motivation, the team used three bikes to ensure a smooth handover.
Daniel said: “It was a logistical challenge as it had to run like clockwork to keep the pedals turning constantly for 24 hours.”
Feeling motivated, several members of the team cycled for the full two hours, Daniel explained.
He said: “Most just cycled for the whole two hours with the odd leg stretch or to stand to relive the numb bum.
“They smashed it.”
Particularly difficult were the late night and early morning legs between 11pm and 7am, Daniel explained.
He said: “We often push our patients within therapy so, in turn, we are pushing ourselves.
“It was challenging but rewarding, much like our jobs.”
At the heart of the fundraiser is mental wellbeing for patients, Daniel explained.
He said: “A potting bench and the balcony area can be used for patients to engage in therapeutic, purposeful activity and provide a space that will enhance their wellbeing.”
Far from their first fundraising efforts, the Stroke Rehabilitation Team last year raised £920 during their ‘virtual’ 1189-mile journey.
The undertaking saw 14 team members walk, run, cycle, and swim the distance of Land’s End to John O’Groats – a mega trek spanning from two points at opposite ends of Great Britain – in just eight weeks.
The funds raised were used towards a specialist bariatric wheelchair, which ‘spurred the team on’ to fundraise again in 2024.
Talking about the different events, Daniel said: “Last year was very individual and more about hitting personal targets to cover the distance. This year was more of a team event.
Having doubled their initial goal of £1,000, Daniel said: “The support has been overwhelming.
“We really want the balcony to feel like an outdoor space again that patients loved so much last summer.”
Suzy Brain England OBE, Chair of the Board, said: “Dedication is the word that comes to mind when describing the fundraising efforts of the Stroke Rehabilitation Team.
“Not content with only providing excellent care, they have gone beyond the duties of their roles and are intent on giving their patients the best possible rehabilitation.
“The team treat patients as they would family members and their unwavering compassion is a testament to their unity as a team.”
If you would like to contribute to the Stroke team’s fundraiser, please visit their Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/daniel-wheater-1706994884236
All funds raised go to Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity and are allocated to areas and projects accordingly.
To find out more about the charity and the difference we make, please visit: https://dbthcharity.co.uk/difference-we-make/