Helping Health Happen, For Everyone, Everywhere

At Henry Schein, we are committed to helping health happen – a value which is shared by every TSM (Team Schein Member). To support our mission, all TSMs are entitled to two paid annual VTO days where they can volunteer to help local communities and beyond, in a health-focused manner.

Andy Brennan is the Senior Manager for CRM Strategy and has worked as part of Henry Schein for 23 years. This year, Andy undertook an admirable challenge: working alongside Alastair Rudd – who runs a group of volunteers stemming from rotary clubs around the world, and works alongside charities such as British-Ukrainian Aid (BUA) and Caritas – Andy drove a vehicle of supplies to Ukraine, supporting those affected by the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis. Alastair’s goal is not only to provide supplies to those in need, but also the element of humanity that can only be achieved with face-to-face interactions.

Andy is here to spread further awareness for this worthy cause, and explain how Henry Schein will continue to support charities such as the BUA.

In your own words, can you tell us about Alastair’s mission?

Andy Brennan: Alastair's mission is about getting practical help over to Ukraine. He started off by sending across a few generators, which he personally took over on buses and trains, and it's evolved from that. He now focuses on providing practical and tangible help to those in need: it's not about collecting money, it's about getting vehicles, generators, and medical supplies over to Ukraine. The primary mission is to source a fleet of vehicles every couple of months, and then to ensure those vehicles don't go across to Ukraine empty.

The vehicles are needed to help on the frontline and provide medical aid, as medical support vehicles or ambulances, or by transporting doctors, patients, and medical supplies, such as generators. That's what attracted me to the cause: it’s not just some idea or notion that you're doing good, it’s you putting yourself out there and making a real difference.

Why is this important to us as a company?

AB: It’s us ‘doing well by doing good’. We of course supply to the medical and dental industry, but there are times where we can feel very removed from that. Day to day, we don't see the products we supply being used, but when you deal directly with charities like BUA, it helps you understand how important your day job is.

In the UK, Henry Schein doesn't often supply directly to war zones or disaster zones. But we do supply to A&Es and to dental practitioners, and in that moment when you go to your dentist with a toothache or a chipped tooth, or you go into A&E with a broken arm, what we provide as a company is of the utmost importance to you as an individual. Although on a day-to-day basis, at face value we supply bandages and amalgam and gloves, what we do is really important, and so we will always strive to get it right and do the best we can. That's why this was important to me: it brings home the ethos of what we do at Henry Schein.

How can people get involved or support BUA's mission?

AB: Firstly, try to find out what practical help you can give. The BUA deal with lots of volunteers like Alastair who organise groups of people that are trying to do their best for the cause. You might see posts on local Facebook groups from these small organisations – when I was going out to Ukraine, that was where I was posting.

I had originally agreed to drive the vehicle containing Henry Schein’s donated goods to Ukraine, but my plan changed at short notice, and I was tasked with filling another vehicle with whatever I could. I had a list of things to supply, such as vehicle repair tools – again, focusing on very practical help. It was mentioned that some donations would be going to an orphanage, and my youngest child asked if he could donate some of his teddies. And then it snowballed. So, I put up a Facebook post asking for vehicle tools, teddy bears, clothing: small, seemingly insignificant, things that can have a huge impact on the recipients’ lives.