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Volunteers Needed To Transport Cancer Patients To Treatment

An estimated 1.6 million California residents will learn that they have cancer this year.

The American Cancer Society provides transportation to and from treatment facilities to help people with cancer receive the critical care they need; however, getting to their scheduled treatment may be a challenge.

“One cancer patient requiring radiation therapy could need anywhere from 20 to 30 trips to treatment in six weeks,” said Donna Gavello, Program Manager for Mission Delivery. “A patient receiving chemotherapy 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 American Cancer Society Road To Recovery® program comes in.

“The free program provides patients rides to and from their cancer treatment. To ensure that all patients have transportation when they need it, the Society is looking for volunteer drivers,” says Gavello. “Road To Recovery volunteers arrange their own schedules, with some volunteering as little as one afternoon a month and others driving patients as often as twice a week. If you have a car, driver’s license, insurance, and some spare time, you can help someone keep a very important appointment.”

For information about the Road To Recovery program and other Society programs and services, call 1-800-227-2345, or visit cancer.org.

About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers saving lives and fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society’s efforts have contributed to a 20 percent decline in cancer death rates in the U.S. since 1991, and a 50 percent drop in smoking rates. Thanks in part to our progress nearly 14 million Americans who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will celebrate more birthdays this year. We’re finding cures as the nation’s largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings, clean air, and more. For more information, to get help, or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org/fight.

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Sierra News Online

Sierra News Online