Proud to be part of a life changing team
Tom Way, Vice President at Real Life Sciences, talks about his experience of being part of the life sciences industry.
It was April 2015, and my wife, and my son, Austin who was three weeks old were at the California Pacific Medical Centre (CPMC) when they told us he had contracted Bacterial Meningitis (E.coli) - the one that every parent dreads.
Part of a life changing team
At the hospital, my wife and I would alternate shifts, as I sat with Austin one long night, early on in his treatment, I started to look around the room at all the different items, from the bed to the hand soap, to the IV bags.
It was then that I realised how familiar all these items were to me, and that many of them had been developed by the companies I’ve worked with over the years. From Teva Pharmaceuticals who produced the antibiotic treating Austin, to Allergan who developed the saline solution he received and even Midmark who made the bed that Austin recovered in.
It was a real moment of self-reflection and I felt incredibly proud to be part of a much larger industry that was saving lives, and saving Austin.
As the hours passed, I starting thinking about all the people my team and I have placed over the years and the impact these roles have had on the life sciences industry. Each of these professionals have gone on to play a key role in the life sciences industry, whether that’s been to develop new drugs to help fight disease, or reduce the spread of infections or to develop devices that help protect and improve people’s lives. Right down to simply having a bag to put your things in, it is those times when you are so stressed and worried that having the very basics taken care of means everything. It allows you to be completely dedicated to the ones you love - the work of the life sciences industry makes this a reality.
Looking forward
After four weeks we were able to take Austin home. My wife and I were just so relieved, it’s hard to describe the emotional rollercoaster we were on. Looking forward one year later, Austin is doing so well, so happy and healthy, we are so grateful.
For me this entire experience has truly reinforced the importance of the work of the life sciences industry and those working within it. The companies that we work with are working tirelessly to make people's lives better and I'm proud to be able to say I'm a small part of the wider life sciences industry and can help support those talented professionals at the forefront of this sector.
