AWARD FOR INVENTOR AND ENTREPRENEUR WHO PIONEERED A 'REVOLUTION IN HEALTHCARE'
The BHTA announced this week that David Garman, Founder and Chairman of Mangar International, has been awarded the BHTA Lifetime Service Award in recognition of his contribution to the rehabilitation industry.
David's career in this industry began some 30 years ago when he found himself caring for an elderly relative who could not get in and out of the bath. Research at the time show limited undignified options to help so David set about designing a better solution.
A world first...
The result was the Mangar Bathlift; patented in 1981, the Year of the Disabled, this was the world's first portable powered structured bathlift, bringing real independence to people who had trouble taking a bath. The bathlift subsequently went on to win the HTV Opportunity Wales Product of the Year Award that same year, and was an instant hit when launched into the market.
This success gave David the confidence to keep innovating. Focusing on enabling people to live safely in their own homes, David began investigating where the problems arose. Getting up in the morning, standing up from a chair, taking a bath, going back to bed are all activities that many of us take for granted, however as you get older, or if you have a physical disability, these tasks can become impossible.
David's achievement is a range of products to assist with the daily tasks that not only work brilliantly, but are affordable and accessible to all. They work in everyday homes, are simple to use, and are completely portable for travelling.
Where one goes others will follow
These innovations sparked a new interest in the British rehabilitation market, revitalising the industry by provoking a far greater interest in designing to enable real independence. It is for this reason that David was awarded the Lifetime Service Award - the highest accolade the industry can bestow upon one of its members.
The award was presented by Angela Rippon at the annual BHTA Awards Dinners at Central Hall, Westminster. On scooping the top award, David said: "I am astounded and humbled by the award. Every day during the past twenty seven years it has been such a pleasure to try to make other people's lives better in some way."
9.11.2007