The Canadian Cancer Society offers financial compensation for volunteer drivers. Photo Credit: Canadian Cancer Society
The Canadian Cancer Society is looking for volunteers to take to the road in their Wheels of Hope program.
Wheels of Hope is a transportation service the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) provides to cancer patients across the country.
Patients are brought everywhere they need to be in regards to their treatment by a CCS driver.
However, in the Ottawa Valley CCS is experiencing a driver drought.
Mark Kahan, volunteer coordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society, said it’s vital that cancer patients are given access to their treatment.
“We want to make sure anyone that needs a ride can get one, but we just need the support of the community to make that happen,” Kahan said.
Some cancer patients need to be traveling to their treatment almost daily for weeks at a time, a frequency not all friends and family are available for.
CCS requires drivers particularly in Arnprior, Renfrew and Pembroke as well as across the rest of Renfrew County.
Drivers are asked to be available two or three days a month and are able to choose when and where they will drive.
Use of a private vehicle also merits mileage compensation and tax receipts.
Kahan himself started as a volunteer driver, and he said the kindness and compassion of the community and patients is what made him stick around.
“Our volunteers are literally making a difference in someone’s life so that is pretty magical I think,” Kahan said.
Anyone interested is asked to check out the Canadian Cancer Society’s website or send an email to volunteer@cancer.ca.
(Written by Mik Horvath)
Kahan said he doesn’t want patients having to resort to costly alternatives of transportation such as cabs or Uber. Photo Credit: Canadian Cancer Society
