Paddy shows Drive for volunteering

I started as a volunteer for the Irish Cancer Society in August 2013. I work across the Care to Drive service which offers free transport to cancer patients to and from chemotherapy treatment.

I am a volunteer driver. That means that I pick up the patients from their door in my car and transport them to hospital. I then collect them when they are finished treatment and bring them back home again.

Last year, I saw an article in my local newspaper recruiting volunteers in the Dublin area and I thought it sounded like something which would be worthwhile doing. I had retired and was looking for something to keep me busy. I also felt that cancer is something which affects every family and I wanted to do something to help.

My own sister, Lorraine, passed away 10 years ago from brain cancer. I also know a lot of men my age who have been through a cancer journey so it is something which I hear about a lot.

There are many reasons why cancer patients need Care to Drive. They may have been advised not to drive by their doctor due to the aggressive nature of treatment; the patient may have no family in the immediate vicinity; or they may be unable to take time off work to transport them to treatment. So when I saw the advertisement looking for volunteers, I got in touch, filled out the form and after Garda vetting, I underwent a training course.

I enjoy doing this type of charity work. I have been an Irish Cancer Society Care to Drive volunteer for a few months now and have done 15 drives to date. I usually look after cancer patients who are based on the Northside and who are attending hospitals such as the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital or Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown.

I like how I can help cancer patients without it being too intrusive on them. There are 1,000 trained Care to Drive volunteer drivers nationally who are available to the Society’s partner hospitals for cancer treatment. Last year, Care to Drive volunteers across the country brought 687 cancer patients to and from 6,080 hospital appointments. This resulted in patients being transported to approximately 700 patient appointments a month.

Any cancer patient who is interested in availing of the service can speak to the social worker in the hospital or talk to their oncology nurse when they are receiving treatment.

It’s a great service which is delivered by volunteers and I’m glad to be a part of it.

To volunteer with the Irish Cancer Society, visit www.cancer.ie.