Get on your bike for a good cause!
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 2nd August 2022
This year, the 5th Straumann Charity Bike Ride is taking place, with customers and team members all doing their bit. Everyone will be cycling approximately 500 miles in five days, fundraising for Dentaid.
Stephen Barter, Head of Clinical Operations for Bupa Dental Care, has taken part in two of these cycling events in the past, and is looking forward to his next one. Steve shares his experience:
“The first cycle ride was from Montpellier to San Sebastián, which involved cycling through the Pyrenees and the Col du Tourmalet, which is one of the biggest climbs on the Tour de France. Prior to that, I was not a cyclist – what appealed to me was the camaraderie, the teamwork and the scenery.
“It was stupendously hard work; I trained probably to about 75% of what I needed to, but the support got me through. Apart from the charitable cause, that is another reason for doing it again. To me, it reflects what Straumann is all about.”
Steve continues, “I’ve been involved with Straumann for about 30 years. The company is all about teamwork when delivering safe and effective dental implant treatment for patients. This bike ride is all about co-operation too. This shared ethos certainly makes it an experience that everyone remembers.
The Straumann Charity Bike Ride will be raising money for Dentaid this year, hoping to help purchase a new mobile dental unit to bring essential dental services to vulnerable communities around the UK. This is already an organisation that Steve supports avidly – he aims to add further to the significant funds that Bupa Dental Care donates to Dentaid annually as the company’s nominated charity. Steve says:
“The work that Dentaid does in bringing dental care to communities all over the world and relieving what can be extremely debilitating pain, and preventing often life-threatening infections, is phenomenal.
“I think it’s difficult for a lot of today’s population to envisage how important that work is, because we’re lucky enough in this country to have had fluoride toothpaste and access to dental care for decades. Although we do see problems in the UK, with increasing decay rates and a lack of access to dentistry in some areas, it’s not on the same scale as it is in communities in more remote parts of the world.
“The encouragement for donation is probably the most important thing about this bike ride, because there are so many calls on people’s generosity and charity these days, especially with the situation in Ukraine. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter how little people give, if they are able to give something, it is going to make a big difference to somebody, because the multiplying effect of lots of people giving a little is significant.”
Steve concludes by sharing some advice for those interested in taking part in the future:
“In terms of the preparation for the event, it is never too early to start. For my own preparation, I was doing quite well over the winter but then I got COVID and couldn’t cycle for 3 weeks. So, I need to get back on my bike soon; luckily the days are getting warmer and the evenings are drawing out! There is nothing better for one’s physical and mental fitness than hopping on your bike and taking a spin around the block.”
For more information, visit the website today: https://www.straumann.com/en/dental-professionals.html
