Appeal for volunteer drivers

An urgent call for volunteers, specifically in East Cork, has been made by the Irish Cancer Society. The call, which relates to the Volunteer Driver Society area, comes as the charity says it needs an oncrease in volunteers in order to cope with increasing demand for the free transport service. 

Gail Flinter, Patient Travel and Financial Support Manager with the Irish Cancer Society said: “We have seen a huge increase in patient referrals across the country, as well in the Cork area.

“To cope with this demand, it is essential that we recruit more volunteers to transport patients to their chemotherapy appointments.

“We have a fantastic network of volunteer drivers around the country who receive ongoing training and support. I would appeal to anyone in the East Cork area who has a couple of week days free a month to get in touch. You will become part of a remarkable team of volunteers, without whom this valuable service simply could not function.”

Pat O’Regan, a volunteer driver from Cork, added: “I wanted to give something back in a practical way and volunteering for the driver service a couple of days a month is a great way to do that.

“It is an invaluable service for people who might not have someone to take them to appointments. It is a rewarding thing to do, and I look forward to each and every drive.”

The Volunteer Driver Service is available to cancer patients in Cork who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment in any of the public hospitals in Cork.

If you would like to become a volunteer, or if you are a patient who would like more information, contact Gail or Laura on the Volunteer Driver Service team on 01-2310566 (Gail) or 01-2310594 (Laura), email transport@irishcancer.ie or visit cancer.ie.