Since he started driving cancer patients to their medical appointments six years ago Bill Postma has now helped hundreds of people.
Postma is one of the many drivers who volunteered for the Canadian Cancer Society program that ended in 2015, and joined the Cancer DriveLine society, a local non-profit that replaced the former program in Greater Victoria and which recently assisted its 1,000th patient.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hundreds that IB次元官网网址檝e driven now,B次元官网网址� said the retired Postma, who lives in Sidney. B次元官网网址淚 put on 12,000 kms a year, 1,000 per month.B次元官网网址�
After a serious accident about nine years ago, Postma started volunteering with ThriftyB次元官网网址檚 Sendial program delivering groceries to people in need of help. He enjoyed helping and began to drive cancer patients to their treatments at the B.C. Cancer Agency next to the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
In its first nine months DriveLine helped transport more than 300 people as 75 drivers made more than 2,100 trips, exceeding 60,000 kilometres. In 2018, Cancer DriveLine has 80-plus drivers and 92 volunteers total (including dispatch) and assisted its 1,000th client as driver totals have now carried out over 11,800 trips, a total of more than 206,700 kms.
B次元官网网址淲e started on Oct. 5, 2015, the day after the agency closed the old program, and we adopted the drivers [for Greater Victoria],B次元官网网址� said Judith Cameron, founding member of the DriveLine board. Drivers pick up patients from their home, transport them to their appointment at the B.C. Cancer Agency, or another medical appointment and then drive them home after.
READ ALSO:
Since Island gas prices spiked in May of 2018 itB次元官网网址檚 been harder on many of the drivers, Cameron said. They are on pace for a total of 50,000 to 55,000 kms driven by volunteers and about two-thirds of those drivers accept stipends to reimburse mileage. The other third are able to donate that gas money back.
Costs are rising.
B次元官网网址淐ancer DriveLine has become so successful itB次元官网网址檚 been difficult to meet all the needs theyB次元官网网址檝e been asked for,B次元官网网址� Cameron said. B次元官网网址淲e rely on community support and donations, no government sponsors, and no [significant] reliable donors. And no one is on payroll, no one is paid.B次元官网网址�
One of the challenges is that while fundraising, Cancer DriveLine volunteers often hear people say B次元官网网址淲e already give to the cancer society,B次元官网网址� Cameron said. B次元官网网址淲e tell them, B次元官网网址楾hatB次元官网网址檚 great news but, none of it comes to us, weB次元官网网址檙e independent, and people are surprised to hear that.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚t gets me out of the house, out of my La-Z-boy,B次元官网网址� Postma said. B次元官网网址淵ou meet a lot of people which is nice, at times its tough, but thatB次元官网网址檚 okay, itB次元官网网址檚 a tremendous service.B次元官网网址�
Drivers arenB次元官网网址檛 trained and therefore can only offer support in terms of conversation. But with a lot of experience, that can be quite comforting, Cameron said.
B次元官网网址淲e talk about everything, careers, kids, whatever, and a lot of [patients] are nervous, especially their first time,B次元官网网址� Postma said. B次元官网网址淚 try to calm them down, I listenB次元官网网址� because some people are at home alone and need to talk, so I just let them.B次元官网网址�
For more information about Cancer DriveLine visit
Like us on and follow us on
