Why numbers count

This is a post I never wanted to write, prompted by a call no one ever wants to receive.

Two months ago, while I was in a meeting, my Dad tried to call me. I declined the call and continued with my meeting. Moments later, my wife sent a WhatsApp message: “Call me, it is urgent.”

It wasn’t my father calling. It was a paramedic using his phone.

My parents had been in a car accident. A driver overtaking a bus collided head-on with their car. The police later told us the impact speed was 110 mph.

My mother was released from the hospital five days later, battered, bruised, and hurting, but grateful to be going home. My father remained in the hospital, needing surgery and time to heal.

The next morning, we were called in. My father had taken a turn for the worse and needed more surgery. The doctors gave him a 67% chance of survival.

That night, I sat by my father’s bed while he was in a medically induced coma, watching the intensive care nurse monitor his vitals: heartbeat, blood pressure, ECG, temperature, and more. Her focus and dedication, adjusting his medication based on the numbers she saw, were awe-inspiring.

It was at that moment, two months ago, that I vowed to write this post.

I am a geek and a nerd. I love technology and my career, building cool projects. Yet, I never felt a true calling or passion for the industries I worked in—just excitement for the projects.

EdTech felt much the same. I appreciated that people might learn from what my team and I created, but it was still just a job. Unlike the intensive care nurse who helped keep my Dad alive with her skill and dedication.

I wondered, how could I save lives? How could I make a real impact?

Then I realized I already was. The nurse’s work involved constant numerical analysis: heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, drug flow rate, oxygen saturation. Every action she took was based on numbers and calculations.

Similarly, a hospital operates like a bustling city, relying on numbers for staffing, food delivery, medication distribution, and more. Everything runs on numbers, and the knowledge to use them effectively keeps the hospital functioning.

The mission of EverybodyCounts Ltd is to deliver Maths Mastery ( #maths #mathsmastery ) education to every child worldwide. Maths Mastery focuses on deep, long-term, adaptable understanding of mathematical concepts, emphasizing problem-solving, reasoning, and application in various contexts. By teaching fewer topics in greater depth and promoting a growth mindset, we aim to help students develop confidence and proficiency in mathematics.

Our platform is designed to be affordable and localised, making it accessible to children and teachers in any country, something that our competitors often fail to do.

Maths education empowers individuals and communities, enhancing quality of life and strengthening economies globally. Good maths education opens doors to various professions—whether in healthcare, engineering, education, technology, or countless other fields.

When I put all this together, I realize how crucial our work is. By providing better opportunities, those we educate can go on to improve the lives of others in their own communities and beyond.

If one child learns maths through Everybody Counts and grows up to be a doctor or nurse, perhaps they can save someone’s parent, just as my parents’ lives were saved.

My deepest thanks to the tireless staff of the #NHS, particularly those at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital( NHS Gloucestershire ), for their care, kindness, and professionalism. Thank you for making me realize the importance of my work, and that maybe, just maybe, I can indirectly save a life one day.

P.S. This weekend we are going to my parents’ house for dinner. Dad wants a Chinese takeaway.