L'HeMa Vélo

The Haematology Department of the Nantes University Hospital treats adult patients with haematological malignancies (blood cancers). The treatments require a period of isolation of 1 to 6 weeks in a sterile room of 9m².

This therapeutic isolation can be difficult for some patients. Prolonged inactivity also leads to muscle wasting.

HéMA’VELO consists of introducing exercise bikes and pedalboards connected to the outside world into this service.

This original and innovative e-health system makes it possible to combine physical activity and well-being for hospitalized patients and to promote their socio-professional reintegration.

Camille, Decathlon Nantes CSR referent: “When I arrived in Nantes in July 2019, Laurie, who was then in charge of communications at the Decathlon Atlantis store, told me about the event she had organised with the Nantes University Hospital. A great action which consisted in donating sports equipment to enable patients in the haematology department to do physical activity during their hospitalization.

As I have been very involved in the Foundation’s actions since I joined Decathlon in Btwin Village (organisation of Foundation Day on several occasions, events with the adapted sports federation / disabled sports federation, etc.), I immediately wanted to take this great initiative with the University Hospital even further.

When Sarah C. told me about the HéMA’VELO project to allow patients to escape from their sterile room, I knew I had to to something. For me, sport has always been a way of surpassing oneself, of escaping, of rejuvenating. I really want these people, who are going through a dark period in their lives, to be able to escape from their rooms for a while thanks to the exercise bike and Kinomap technology: from New York to Latin America via the Atlantic coast… What a great opportunity to escape, alone or with us, Decathlonians, their friends and family. The support of this project by the Foundation is the beginning of a beautiful story around the values of sport and well-being for our health.”

Marie, fitness department manager: “For me, sport is a way of escaping, of forgetting the constraints of everyday life and of recharging one’s batteries in order to move forward in one’s projects! It is also a way of surpassing oneself, whether individually or collectively.

The research carried out within the framework of the HéMA’VELO project contributes to show that sport allows all this. This objective therefore motivates me and immediately made me want to invest in this direction with the actors of this project, whether in the context of my job as a fitness department manager or in my personal time. I have set myself the goal of creating cycling routes (alone or with teammates – during team events) that patients enjoy and making them available to them using Kinomap technology.

We would like to create a project group with a relay in each shop in Nantes to create these highlights between employees and customers. We will be the 2 pillars to communicate and raise awareness of the project. We have already presented HéMA’VELO at the regional level to the stop managers, LRE and HR manager. All have been touched and feel involved in the project.

Below is the testimony of Armelle, 72 years old, who has been suffering from leucemia since April 2020.