The Wheels on the Van

It's easy to think that the most difficult part of a battle with cancer is the physical condition that some of the treatments can leave you in. And, for many people, that is certainly the case. Chemotherapy can make you sick, radiation can leave you with uncomfortable rashes that make even the most comfortable clothing in your closet painful to wear. Both forms of treatment cause fatigue that there is simply no cure for except the end of treatment.

But for many people in Northwest Arkansas the first hurdle to be cleared when discussing a treatment plan with their oncologist is figuring out how they will even get to their appointments in order to begin the fight. Some patients may not be able to drive as a result of their disease, others because of treatment side-effects. Friends and family may only be able to help for a short time or on a limited basis. With chemotherapy appointments scheduled every few weeks and radiation plans typically requiring a patient to visit the clinic five days a week for 5-7 weeks, transportation becomes one of the primary obstacles for patients as they go through treatment. Patients can not fight their cancer if they are unable to get to the clinic.

At Hope Cancer Resources we have three vehicles in our transportation program. Our drivers drive hundreds of miles every weekday to provide the support necessary to make sure that treatment plans are carried out as prescribed.

In the first four months of 2012, our drivers put over 54,000 miles on our vehicles and made 927 trips. That's 10,000 miles more than this time two years ago. Sometimes a trip is only a few miles. Other times a driver could be gone all day picking up and taking home to towns in Oklahoma or Carroll county. In 2011, the total miles logged by our vehicles came in at just over 129,000. That's a lot of time behind a wheel, and a lot of doctor's visits that weren't missed. That's a lot of hope given.

If you or someone you know would benefit from transportation assistance, or if you'd like to make a donation to support the program, please contact us.