Mike Coleman has never been one to take “no” for an answer.
Years ago, while visiting a local hospital, he saw loads of medical equipment being dumped into a waste truck, being hauled away. Inquiring about the materials, he learned they’d be incinerated or dumped in a landfill.
He wanted to know why those materials couldn’t be used for a better purpose. His thoughts turned to the people of third-world and developing nations, who desperately need better medical care.
He began campaigning, asking questions of local and national health officials. All along the way, he was told no and that he was becoming quite the nuisance. But he refused to give up.
“I’m persistent,” Coleman said. “When someone tells me no, I want to know why they’re telling me no.”
About eight years ago, Coleman experienced the first breakthrough in his mission, when a local hospital administrator agreed to at least look at Coleman’s proposal and the legal aspects behind it.
Ultimately, he was successful, and his project became known as Aid to Hospitals Worldwide, a Christian-based charity providing everything from the most basic medical supplies to surgical equipment to 46 different nationals around the world.
The equipment comes in the form of donations from the National Health Service, the same organization that once considered Coleman an annoyance. The NHS has also since recognized the project as one of significance in the medical arena.
When hospitals upgrade their equipment or bring in new supplies, they donate the old equipment to Coleman’s group. The organization then works with other Christian groups around the world – primarily in India, Africa and Asia – to find out their needs and try to meet them.
“The aim and the objective is to give them what they need, not what we think they need,” Coleman said.
Each container shipped holds upwards of 10,000 British pounds worth of equipment (equivalent to roughly $15,500), and the recipients only pay the shipping expenses, usually between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds ($4,500-$7,500).
One of the main supporters of the project has been Rotary International of Britain and Ireland, the UK’s national branch of the service group. Rotary has paid the shipping expenses for several containers worth of goods to be sent overseas.
Since last year, donations have already increased about 25 percent, Coleman said, but the rising amount of requests continues to climb exponentially, as well.
The organization currently collects about one-sixteenth of the UK’s medical “waste,” and Coleman can only imagine how many lives could be touched if more of that equipment was shared with the world rather than just pitched to the landfill.
“There’s a lot of pain out there,” he said.
Containers of supplies line the shelves of the Aid to Hospitals Worldwide warehouse.
Mike Coleman talks about his organization.
Many of these type of braces have only been used once because of health regulations. Coleman's organization sends them to developing nations, where they can be used again.
Coleman shows off microscopes and other basic equipment his organization supplies..
From there we ned another Rotarian who was an official guide who took us on a walking tour of Bury. There were too many facts, dates, and figures to remember so enjoy the pictures.
rotary6510gse.wordpress.com 