FORTY-THREE Donegal
patients availed of a free transport service last
year that helped them attend more than 380
chemotherapy appointments.
The figures show that 37 drivers travelled a
distance of 58,751km to help patients under the
Volunteer Driver Service run by the Irish Cancer
Society.
This is a free transport service and is available to
cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment in
Letterkenny University Hospital and Sligo General
Hospital.
Irish Cancer Society patient travel and financial
support manager Gail Flinter said: “The Volunteer
Driver Service allows cancer patients access to free
transport to and from their chemotherapy treatments,
removing the stress, difficulty and financial burden
of travelling at a challenging time. This is a local
service with local drivers driving local patients to
and from their treatments.
“There are a number of reasons why a cancer patient
may need to use the Volunteer Driver Service. They
may have been advised by their doctor not to drive
due to the nature of the treatment, the patient may
have no family in the immediate vicinity or family
members or friends may be unable to take time off
work to transport them to treatment. Equally,
patients living miles from the main arterial route
have to source taxis to nearest town, avail of a bus
service and then a taxi from the bus station to the
hospital. In any of these cases, it is really
important to know that there is free, confidential
and easily accessible support out there. It lessens
the stress and worry of getting to and from
treatment,” she added.
Local volunteer driver Danny McNamee from Ballintra
in Donegal has been a volunteer driver for several
years and enjoys helping out in his spare time.
“Before I became a volunteer I had to complete a
training programme, sign confidentiality agreements
and undertake all of the relevant clearance checks,
including Garda vetting, so it’s good for the
patients to know that it’s a very thorough process.
“I would encourage any cancer patients from the
Donegal area, or their family and friends,
struggling with transport issues to look into the
service as it could turn out to be a really helpful
support to them during a difficult time. I see
first-hand just how much families appreciate the
support.”
The service is available in 22 hospitals nationwide
with the Society’s 1,162 drivers bringing 1,226
patients to and from 11,538 appointments, covering
over 1.1 million kilometres in 2016 alone. For more
information call 01 2310 522, email
transport@irishcancer.ie or log on to
www.cancer.ie . |
