I was, and still am, blown away by the service. I just can’t even begin to describe how good it is.
When Steven Crabtree applied to a job advert for a cancer care driver on the mobile unit for Leeds and West Yorkshire, he admits he didn’t really know what to expect.
But after a bit of research, he says his first thought was: “That’s one fantastic concept. Sign me up.”
That was before Steven had even been invited to interview but he knew that working on the mobile unit was something he definitely wanted to be a part of, and he says he was “over the moon” when he was offered the job.
“I was, and still am, blown away by the service. I just can’t even begin to describe how good it is. I am only surprised that not every hospital has this facility,” says Steven who previously worked for 25 years as a bus and coach driver for the combined local authority of Leeds and West Yorkshire.
Now 64, Steven took early retirement, but he says: “I knew I still wanted to do something.”
After a couple of stints picking up and dropping off passengers on the shuttle bus at Leeds Airport, the advert for a driver for the cancer care unit caught his eye.
I have never looked back. The feeling I get when I wake up in the morning, knowing I am going to be driving the unit, is not like any feeling I have ever experienced before.
“It is just the most rewarding feeling. Bringing cancer care into the community and helping to put a smile on the faces of people who are going through so much makes me feel humble and proud. I just don’t have enough words to describe how brilliant the service is.
“Some of the people who come on to the unit are really going through hell and to see them coming through the door, knowing you are going to do your very best to take their mind off what’s going on is a great feeling.
“And the camaraderie on the unit with the staff is second to none. We see lots of regular faces week in week out and it’s easy to build up a rapport.
“Personally, I am not good with names, but I always remember faces and I try and pick up on conversations where we have left off before.
“It has always been in my nature to help people and if I can just make one person smile on the unit it gives me a lovely warm glow inside.
“It’s so true that if you give a little you get an awful lot back. It’s really not possible to say it enough, but it is a truly fantastic service.
“Some people might think its all doom and gloom ion the unit, but it really isn’t. It can be very uplifting some days. The unit is like a little oasis away from everyday life for some.
“Obviously, you have to be intuitive about noticing how people are feeling. Having worked with people all my life, I am pretty good about that, and I can spot those who just want to sit quietly and read a book and those who feel a bit more reassured with a bit of banter going on.
“I have a little joke with them and say things like ‘fancy seeing you here on a Tuesday.’ It breaks the ice, and you see their shoulders drop a bit because they know they are in a safe place and are going to be well looked after.
“I do try to bring a bit of humour to the unit. I introduced Naked Penguin Day on Thursdays, which is really a bourbon biscuit without chocolate.
“So, when I make the patients a cup of tea, I ask them if they want a naked penguin with it. It’s light-hearted, and it makes them laugh.”
Steven works on the two units covering Leeds and West Yorkshire, which are named ‘Linda’ and ‘Christine’, and two new drivers have been appointed to help cover the vast area around Bingley, Ilkley, Settle and Skipton.
“I work with a lot of different nurses, but at the end of the day, we’re all one big team, and we all help each other out,” says Steven.
“When the nurses are busy, I don’t have any problem rolling up my sleeves and cleaning the chairs between appointments. We all pull together.”
“Sometimes people ask me what time I start and finish, and I tell them that I always have a start time but never a finish time. The service is very people-led, and we are there for whatever they need for however long that takes.
“I absolutely love what I do and will definitely be looking at carrying on past my retirement date if I can,” says Steven.
“The job of a driver for the cancer care unit is so rewarding. I never look at what it brings me rather how it helps the people who are struggling with this horrible, horrible disease.”
I was, and still am, blown away by the service. I just can’t even begin to describe how good it is.
When Steven Crabtree applied to a job advert for a cancer care driver on the mobile unit for Leeds and West Yorkshire, he admits he didn’t really know what to expect.
But after a bit of research, he says his first thought was: “That’s one fantastic concept. Sign me up.”
That was before Steven had even been invited to interview but he knew that working on the mobile unit was something he definitely wanted to be a part of, and he says he was “over the moon” when he was offered the job.
“I was, and still am, blown away by the service. I just can’t even begin to describe how good it is. I am only surprised that not every hospital has this facility,” says Steven who previously worked for 25 years as a bus and coach driver for the combined local authority of Leeds and West Yorkshire.
Now 64, Steven took early retirement, but he says: “I knew I still wanted to do something.”
After a couple of stints picking up and dropping off passengers on the shuttle bus at Leeds Airport, the advert for a driver for the cancer care unit caught his eye.
I have never looked back. The feeling I get when I wake up in the morning, knowing I am going to be driving the unit, is not like any feeling I have ever experienced before.
“It is just the most rewarding feeling. Bringing cancer care into the community and helping to put a smile on the faces of people who are going through so much makes me feel humble and proud. I just don’t have enough words to describe how brilliant the service is.
“Some of the people who come on to the unit are really going through hell and to see them coming through the door, knowing you are going to do your very best to take their mind off what’s going on is a great feeling.
“And the camaraderie on the unit with the staff is second to none. We see lots of regular faces week in week out and it’s easy to build up a rapport.
“Personally, I am not good with names, but I always remember faces and I try and pick up on conversations where we have left off before.
“It has always been in my nature to help people and if I can just make one person smile on the unit it gives me a lovely warm glow inside.
“It’s so true that if you give a little you get an awful lot back. It’s really not possible to say it enough, but it is a truly fantastic service.
“Some people might think its all doom and gloom ion the unit, but it really isn’t. It can be very uplifting some days. The unit is like a little oasis away from everyday life for some.
“Obviously, you have to be intuitive about noticing how people are feeling. Having worked with people all my life, I am pretty good about that, and I can spot those who just want to sit quietly and read a book and those who feel a bit more reassured with a bit of banter going on.
“I have a little joke with them and say things like ‘fancy seeing you here on a Tuesday.’ It breaks the ice, and you see their shoulders drop a bit because they know they are in a safe place and are going to be well looked after.
“I do try to bring a bit of humour to the unit. I introduced Naked Penguin Day on Thursdays, which is really a bourbon biscuit without chocolate.
“So, when I make the patients a cup of tea, I ask them if they want a naked penguin with it. It’s light-hearted, and it makes them laugh.”
Steven works on the two units covering Leeds and West Yorkshire, which are named ‘Linda’ and ‘Christine’, and two new drivers have been appointed to help cover the vast area around Bingley, Ilkley, Settle and Skipton.
“I work with a lot of different nurses, but at the end of the day, we’re all one big team, and we all help each other out,” says Steven.
“When the nurses are busy, I don’t have any problem rolling up my sleeves and cleaning the chairs between appointments. We all pull together.”
“Sometimes people ask me what time I start and finish, and I tell them that I always have a start time but never a finish time. The service is very people-led, and we are there for whatever they need for however long that takes.
“I absolutely love what I do and will definitely be looking at carrying on past my retirement date if I can,” says Steven.
“The job of a driver for the cancer care unit is so rewarding. I never look at what it brings me rather how it helps the people who are struggling with this horrible, horrible disease.”
