The City of Delta wants to provide even more support for volunteers who drive cancer patients to their appointments.
Council last week granted the Volunteer Cancer Driver Society’s request for a $5,000 grant, the third year council has provided such funding.
In addition, council agreed to ask the society what other ways the city can help the society, including potentially additional funding.
In a letter to council, society executive vice-president George McAffer said the organization had to suspend service for three months in 2020 due to COVID-19, but resumed in June utilizing a comprehensive infection prevention and control policy to ensure the safety of both patients and drivers.
“While our service now looks and feels different, we remain dedicated to our sole objective - free transportation for cancer patients in need to their appointments, safely, on time, with compassion and understanding,” he said.
He explained that their average cost for a ride in the Delta area is $19.87 and varies depending on the location of the patient's treatment centre.
The society anticipates that in 2021 they will provide 1,550 rides, volunteers will drive 47,500 km using their own vehicles and contribute 2,050 hours of their time.
The pandemic presented the society with significant operational challenges and has imposed unprecedented pressure on the giving community, the source of all their funding, he added.
“We are fortunate that the municipal governments in the 15 communities we serve recognize the need for our service and are continuing with their support,” said McAffer.
The society notes many of the patients are elderly, frail and sick with scarce financial resources and limited support systems, and public transportation is not an option.
The society also notes it currently has 150 drivers with seven dispatchers and several associates in the region, taking patients to 15 treatment facilities throughout the Lower Mainland.
It provided over 21,900 patient rides in 2019.
For more information about the society, a registered charity, see: https://www.volunteercancerdrivers.ca/.
