By HOLLY LENNON

HEROIC volunteers from across Glasgow have been commended for their dedication to helping save lives as they got medical and emergency services staff to work amid heavy snow.

While some offered lifts to nurses and doctors due on shift at Glasgow hospitals, others took life-saving stem cells to blood cancer patients and made sure patients made appointments.

Social media has been inundated with people offering to help others through free lifts or a bed for the night.

Volunteer Lindsay Codsi travelled from Europe to Manchester, before getting a taxi to Glasgow, to deliver stem cells to those in need on behalf of Anthony Nolan charity.

John Quigley also faced a race against time after picking up stem cells from a UK city and battling to deliver them to Glasgow.

He said: “As stem cell couriers, we sometimes face challenging conditions. Faced with the awful weather, I’m delighted that I was able to deliver the stem cells on time.”

Bike shop owner Stephen Steele put his 4x4 to excellent use on Wednesday by bringing colleagues from Dumbarton and Kirkintilloch to the NHS 24 call centre in Cardonald so they could help people calling 111.

Stephen, who decided to swap two wheels for four to help stranded staff, said: “It’s been so quiet in the shop because of the weather that I decided to try to support our NHS.

“I was just glad to do my bit.”

Getting staff in to NHS 24’s call centres has been a huge challenge, with many staff walking for miles to get to work – and though the worst is over, help is still needed.

If you can help, email servicedeliveryadmin@nhs24.scot.nhs.uk

NHS 24’s Medical Director, Dr Laura Ryan, said everyone could help ease pressure on the service.

She said: “Making sure you have pain relief like paracetamol and ibuprofen means you can take care of minor illnesses at home, freeing up services to help those in most need.

“There is lots of health information at www.nhsinform.scot, although I would stress that people should call if they feel they can’t wait until their GP surgery reopens on Monday.”

Terminal illness charity Marie Curie has thanked staff and volunteers for their efforts to keep services going at its hospice at Springburn and its nursing service helping people in their own homes.

Some staff have even camped at the hospice since Wednesday to ensure care continued.

Offers of help from the local community have been much appreciated with people helping clear access roads and a local plumber transporting staff to and from the hospice in his 4x4.

In Ayrshire, patients at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre were able to receive essential chemotherapy treatment thanks to the efforts of volunteers such as Martin Bell, a driver for Ayrshire Cancer Support,

Martin dug his car out of the snow to ensure that cancer sufferer Lorraine from Kilmarnock was safely taken to her appointment in Glasgow and home again.