NEWS RELEASE
CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY
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Can you imagine being recently diagnosed with cancer and told that you need to travel to Toronto to receive your life-saving treatment? For many people in Orillia that is the reality they face.
But what if you didn’t have family or friends who could take you there. What would you do?
The Canadian Cancer Society offers Wheels of Hope, a transportation service that helps people get to their life saving treatment. The service relies on volunteers from the community to drive clients and we are in need of volunteers who can drive long distance to Toronto!
Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Canadian Cancer Society. It takes a special person to become a volunteer driver. These volunteers use their own vehicle to offer friendly support and kindness at a time when patients need it most.
Without them giving their time to drive, many people would simply not be able to get to their cancer treatments.
In 2019, our volunteer drivers in the Orillia area made 1,672 trips totaling 158,744 kilometres. These drivers helped 45 adults get to their cancer appointments.
The Canadian Cancer Society anticipates the need for the Wheels of Hope transportation program will increase each year given the aging population and more advanced screening practices.
If you have some time to spare during the work week and love to drive, then we could use your support. The Canadian Cancer Society volunteer drivers are well trained and supported in their role.
They attend a training session and have an MTO and criminal records check before joining our team. We also offer flexible daytime driving opportunities and provide a small reimbursement for kms accumulated.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer driver contact the Canadian Cancer Society at 705-726-8032 or at cancer.ca/wheelsofhope today.
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