Inspiring people at Revive...

There's been so much talk recently of inspiring individuals from the Olympics that it reminded me of a blog I started writing last year about some of the inspirational people I've come across working at Revive. 

I thought this time round it would be good to use this as an excuse to find out about what makes our new Trustee tick!  I don't know if I'm just really nosey, but I LOVE hearing people's stories!  Think you'll find his work life, and personal life very interesting!

Welcome to Revive Derek! :)



Atypical day for me is a 7:30 start with time for a leisurely breakfast beforethe long commute - all the way upstairs to the office.  The way our business is setup now I can dothis and know that we can manage to grow and do all we need to do.   Myworking from home is not an excuse for not working though.  Im pretty sure that I work more hours thanaverage, but I have to say I love the absence of the typical commute to workand the flexibility that I have got in my work life now.  Im certainly happier and healthier these days and I am extremely gratefulfor my life and my work.  If I am goinganywhere now it is likely that Im going to see clients somewhere in the UK orgetting on a plane.  Despite the factthat I don’t commute I'm still clocking up around 90,000 miles per year so I doget to drive which is one of my passions. AlthoughI do have some other business interests most of my time is applied as anOwner/Director of a local rehabilitation technology business. We founded thisin 1997 and I'm pleased to say that we have grown steadily over the years.  When we started up it was very part-time as Iwas working every day as an academic and it took a while to commit to thisventure. 
Althoughwe do not often work with MS clients, we do deal directly with the NHS andprivate clients all over the UK and other parts of Europe.  We work with many persons managing spinalcord injuries, or recovering from a stroke, orthopaedic conditions or diabeticfoot care issues. 
Whatwe have seen over the years is the growth in the private side of our businessas people with chronic conditions learn that the NHS simply can’t do everythingfor them.  Often this comes as a bigshock because many of us grew up with the notion that the NHS would always bethere to care for us if we needed them. An organisation such as Revive is indeed a precious jewel as it providesservices that simply would not happen otherwise.
Afriend with MS had mentioned Revive to me some time ago and it has been reallyinteresting to see how much they play an extremely important and practical rolein supporting persons with MS.  As a newTrustee of Revive Im looking forward to participating in Revive’s brightfuture.  Im hoping that my own experienceand contacts can help support the aims and objectives of Revive.
Imsupposed to tell you a bit about myself. The formal bit of my profile goes something like this  - “A versatile, MBA qualified and highlycommercial Board Executive, with a demonstrable track record of successspanning more than 20 years gained in bio-engineering, R&D and high levelacademic roles in the medical technology and healthcare rehabilitationsectors.”
WhenI think back to teen years I really wanted to be either a professionalmotorcycle racer or a rock star - and flirted with both with differing degreesof success.  One of my realisationslooking back was that instead of really committing to my dream I listenedinstead to the sensible advice to get a proper job.  Having said that I am still passionate aboutmotorcycles and am riding some 45 years after getting my first bike.  Yes - I still have the leather romper suitand all the gear.  I enjoy driving carsand bikes and anything like that. I have often said if the day comes when Ineed a mobility scooter it had better have a big engine.
Mysensible work history allowed me to train as a professional engineer.  Healthcare has always been of interest to mealthough I really didn't fancy the idea of being a doctor or anything likethat.  Allowing curiosity to influence myfuture plans meant that I chose to spend 3 years at Strathclyde Universitystudying for a PhD in Bioengineering. After the PhD I worked in Canada in the late 1970‘s.  Cross appointments between the University ofToronto and local hospitals allowed me to develop and lead multi-professionalresearch teams in a number of areas including orthopaedic implant design andsurgical technique development.  In theearly 1980’s I joined the University of Strathclyde in the National Centre forProsthetics and Orthotics and like most academics was involved in a mix ofresearch, teaching and administrative duties. 
Iwas always fascinated with the processes of creating products from a germ of anidea and thought taking an MBA would give me more of clue about this and theworld of business.  I would say that inthe early 1980’s most MBAs were not set up to guide entrepreneurs and althoughI enjoyed the programme it probably set me back from starting my own businessfor five years at least.  One of thethings that the MBA didn’t do is teach me how to deal with the fear that comeswhenever we want to break away from the way things are and change things in ourlives.   As human beings I see that oftenwe think too much and feel too little.  Ifeel incredibly grateful for the health, energy and life circumstances I enjoy- and I wish you all the same feelings.

For more information about Revive MS Support, check out our website. Also, please remember to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.  If you have some free time, and energy, and would like to volunteer with Revive, please contact cara for more information!

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