Volunteers needed to drive cancer patients
The American Cancer Society is looking for Van Zandt County volunteers to drive patients to treatment appointments.
Getting to and from medical treatments is one of the greatest concerns cancer patients face, according to Cindy Goodson, Road to Recovery volunteer coordinator. To ensure patients get to those much-needed treatments, the American Cancer Society provides free rides through its Road to Recovery program.
“One cancer patient requiring radiation therapy could need anywhere from 20 to 30 trips to treatment in six weeks,” Goodson said. “A patient receiving chemo0therapy might report for treatment weekly for up to a year. In many cases, a patient is driven to hospitals or clinics by relatives or friends, but even these patients must occasionally seek alternative transportation. That’s where the Road to Recovery program comes in.”
The program is rewarding for volunteers, too, said Patti Ramos, Mission Delivery program manager. “Several of our drivers have volunteers for a number of years,” she said.
For additional information about the Road to Recovery program or volunteer, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit the website cancer.org/drive.
