Volunteer Drivers Urgently Needed for Cancer Patients

Metro Detroit, MI — Fighting their disease is stressful enough for the 56,500 Michigan residents who will learn they have aner this year without having to worry about how they’ll get to their treatments.

To help patients get to the critical care they need without additional stress, the American Cancer Society Road To Recovery program provides free transportation to and from treatment for people who have cancer and who do not have a ride or are unable to drive themselves.

“We’re urgently asking drivers to donate their passenger seat and volunteer to take cancer patients to treatment,” Rachael Cook, the program manager in southeast Michigan, said in a news release. “We’re especially in need of drivers to take cancer patients to and from treatment in Detroit and Ann Arbor, where we currently have the greatest unfulfilled need.”

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In Wayne County last year, the Road to Recovery program was able to fulfill only 36 percent of ride requests, only 52 percent were fulfilled.

“It’s our goal that every ride request gets fulfilled so we ensure cancer patients are getting the treatment they desperately need,” Cook said.

One cancer patient requiring radiation therapy could need between 20 to 30 trips to treatment over the course of six weeks. A patient receiving chemotherapy may need weekly treatment for up to a year.

“Some patients don’t have access to transportation at all and public transportation is not ideal for those who are in treatment and who are fatigued, sick, and often at risk of infection,” Cook said. “Access to care is a big problem in our country, with low-income and minority persons and those living in outlying communities suffering the most from disparities. 

“Transportation programs are vital for these patients to get the treatments they need,” she emphasized. “But the program not only helps patients, it’s also rewarding for the volunteers.”

The Road To Recovery program provides transportation options for patients in these situations and currently is in need of volunteer drivers throughout southeast Michigan, but especially those willing to drive to and from Detroit and Ann Arbor.

Volunteer drivers donate their time and the use of their cars so patients can receive the cancer-related treatments they need.
To volunteer, you must have a valid driver’s license, a safe and reliable vehicle, and proof of automobile insurance. Drivers must be 18 years of age or older and have a good driving history. Most treatments occur weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., so volunteers will need to have flexible daytime schedules. 

The American Cancer Society’s Road To Recovery program offers flexible scheduling and a chance to give back while literally helping to save lives. Drivers arrange their own schedules and can commit as many or as few hours as their schedule allows.

The American Cancer Society provides free training to drivers and conducts criminal background and driving record checks.
Volunteer coordinators also are needed and help schedule the requested rides. Coordinators can work from any location that is convenient for them — even taking their work to a warmer climate during the winter months. Great organization and communication skills can make a major impact on the well-being of cancer patients in the community.

For information about the Road To Recovery program and other American Cancer Society programs and services, call (800) 227-2345, or visit cancer.org.

Image credit: Jack Miller via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons