Racing through the streets on her bright yellow MAGEN DAVID ADOM Medicycle, wearing protective gear and a helmet, 24-year-old medic Shira Ruth Chen from Rishon Lezion embodies dedication in motion. Each call represents another chance to make a difference.
“Every emergency call is an opportunity to help,” Chen reflected.
Her journey with MAGEN DAVID ADOM began five years ago during the early days of Covid, though her calling emerged much earlier. “Even as a child, I felt drawn to caring for others. My mother remembers me tending to my dolls like little patients,” she recalled. “That instinct to bring comfort to others has only grown stronger.”
Chen’s commitment runs deep, even affecting her religious observance. “While I observe Shabbat, my phone stays on in case there is an emergency and MDA needs me,” she said.
Before transitioning to the Medicycle unit, Chen served as both an ambulance medic and a member of the rapid response team. “The moments that have stayed with me the most are when we successfully resuscitated someone after cardiac arrest. I once had the chance to meet a patient I’d helped save. That connection reminded me exactly why I chose this path. It was really gratifying.”
MAGEN DAVID ADOM’s Medicycle unit is currently 650 members strong with riders ready to help their fellow Israelis all over the country. The unit is comprised of EMTs, paramedics, and doctors, as well as people with other professions unrelated to medicine who underwent training.
Chen’s recent move to the Medicycle unit stems from her understanding of emergency medicine’s time-sensitive nature. “In cardiac emergencies, those first four to six golden minutes are everything. Getting there faster can mean the difference between life and death.”
Chen is an important role model, challenging conventional expectations. “I want other women to know they shouldn’t be limited by outdated assumptions about which vehicles or careers suit them. If riding a Medicycle means I can reach patients faster and potentially save more lives, then that’s exactly what I should be doing.”