Respiratory consultant leads by example on Cycle to Work Day
A respiratory consultant at Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH) is encouraging people to get on their bikes for Cycle to Work Day.
Dr Andy Wight, Consultant Respiratory Physician in the Wirral Lung Unit, thinks cycling is a great way for everyone, including patients and colleagues, to achieve the cardiovascular benefits of exercise.
“It’s so important to get exercise, because it improves heart and lung fitness. For my patients with lung cancer and other types of cancer, there’s strong evidence showing that physical activity boosts treatment effectiveness and improves survival. Cycling is a great way to make movement part of daily life.”
Andy began cycling to work five years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. What started as a practical way to combine exercise with commuting quickly became part of his regular routine.
He said: “I had a bike as a kid until I was seven, but I didn’t own one again until I was 37. I was having some knee issues at the time, and cycling was a low-impact way of getting around quickly.”
Now, he cycles to Arrowe Park Hospital three to four times a week, parking his bike in the hospital’s secure staff cycle facility. “Cycling to work doesn’t take much longer than driving,” he explained. “During term time, it’s actually quicker than driving through school traffic.”
Andy cycles to work all year round as part of an active lifestyle that also includes some running and rowing. As a respiratory consultant, he encourages his patients, even those with chronic lung conditions, to be active.
Like Andy, Dawn Parker and Reena Alexis cycle regularly to Arrowe Park Hospital and all three say that it gives them a mental boost before they start work, as well as helping them decompress after a challenging day.
Dawn is a nurse in the Endoscopy Unit at Arrowe Park Hospital and has been cycling to work for 25 years. She started when the family had only one car, so she would cycle one of the journeys to and from work, and with a bike rack on the car, her husband would give her a lift for the other.
She said: “It takes me about 30 to 40 minutes to get into work, and I’ve done my exercise for the day. On the ride home it helps me process my day so by the time I get home, I’ve cleared my head. Exercise improves your mental health because it releases mood-boosting chemicals, and it certainly works for me.”
Now in her early 60s, Dawn says cycling keeps her feeling young, fit and active: “I could still do a 5K run if I wanted to”, she added.
She also recommends the government’s Cycle to Work Scheme as a great way to get started. “I know people who’ve begun with electric bikes which helped them get so fit that they moved on to regular pushbikes.”
Reena Alexis, an Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner working in the Neonatal Unit, was also motivated to start cycling to avoid the need for driving a car to work. “I work three shifts a week”, she said. “It’s worked out so well that I’ve sold my car.”
For Reena, cycling offers the perfect balance of practicality and wellbeing. “I’m not someone who’ll exercise for the sake of it. I need it to have a purpose. Cycling has saved me a lot of money, and because it gets me to work, I actually do it. I really enjoy it now.”
With a steep hill on her commute, Reena opted for an electric bike. “I use the electric assist on the hill and switch to manual for the rest,” she said.
Chief Executive Janelle Holmes said: “Our staff are committed to improving our patients’ lives, and many are leading by example when it comes to looking after their own health. It’s fantastic to see more and more colleagues getting on their bikes, and we hope Cycle to Work Day will inspire even more people to give it a go.”
Cycle to Work Day is on Thursday 7th August 2025.
ENDS
Photo 1: Dr Andy Wight with Ben Streatfield in the Lung Unit
Photo 2: Dr Andy Wight on his bike at Arrowe Park Hospital
Photo 3: Dawn Parker on her bike
Photo 4: Dawn Parker outside the Endoscopy Unit