Patient transport for cancer patients

Hi Maria

this does all sound a complete nightmare for you. So sorry you’re going through it

my only thought is to contact the Macmillan helpline. I have volunteered locally where I am to be a buddy which involves helping with transport to fellow patients or going to get shopping or just taking someone out for a coffee. Not actually started yet as have kids and school holidays but hoping to get started in  sept.

there could be some buddies near you possibly?

good luck lovely 

Thanks Jac for your reply  :)       I will see what Macmillan can do.  Need to be prepared mentally for the many eligibility questions the transport call centre staff fire at us,  not what we want to have to deal with on top of what we've gone through.  Anyway appreciate your words.   .  Hmmm,  doing volunteering (used to a few years ago locally with Age UK) so it would be chance to give back, when its all over, whenever that will be.   What you do sounds good, as a buddy, once your kids school holidays are finished.  Mine is at a high school now, the years do whizz by sooo fast!  Hope you and yours are not melting too much in this never ending heat.  I don't drive any more and with the s/e of the meds wouldnt feel confident enough anyway with the scary mega amount of traffic on our roads  .... but as a buddy sitting in the front left hand seat sounds like something to be looked into as have a background in counselling/help desk kind of work over past years. 

@Sheildscannylass, sorry you are having to cope with this. I think it is absolutely outrageous that patients are having to be interrogated with the threat of refusal. Agree contacting Macmillan is a good idea.. It might be worth contacting your MP, who may be able to do something about the situation long term. 

Big hugs xxxx

I think red cross do some sort of transport too.

Thanks seaspirit44 for your supportive words   :)    You gave me the nudge I need to take it up with my MP as the whole situation is unacceptable, and if not for me, then others who may gain the benefit in the future.  It's on top of my to do list when I have the energy levels.  Tbh it's the luck of the draw who you get on the phone the other end, if its someone say a bank nurse doing some extra work to earn enough to live on they have a bit of empathy, but some are (bleep) and so  -  well  ........     Am going to try tomorrow booking for the consultant appointment and will give feedback on here.    There are some good charities around the country which take patients too and from for either r/t or chemo, used them on a few days, however they are overwhelmed with demand.  It's hard to explaining to call centre staff only lightly medically trained and likely on a low wage that my left side is a bit fried, a cushion needed to support it, shooting pains and much much more so a jiggly bus and metro journeys is a big no!   

Thanks to all who have replied.   Going to remain positive.     

Big thanks for that Daisydoo38 and will check them out too.  Appreciate you letting me know.  Hope you are coping OK as you can with all that's been happening to you.  Hugs.

@Sheildscannylass, yes do let us know how you get on.

I can’t use public transport at the moment, but am lucky that my hospitals are relatively near by. xxx

Hi Sheildscannylass I was asked by a volunteer driver if I ever had any trouble getting transport. I said well yes I am interrogated every time and I'm a genuine case. I've had three ops couldn't drive for weeks after everyone and still had to answer everything. The driver told me that I was a genuine case and to just say oncology regardless of which department i was going too.  She said you wouldn't have all these appointments if you hadnt got cancer so since then oncology is the answer as it is in a way oncology related i do still see an oncologist and I'm on tamoxifen and antedepressents so really don't drive far. She said there's lots of people arnt genuine that she's driven and that it makes her angry that cancer patients struggle to get it. Hope this helps. Xx

Please try your local hospice. I got transport with volunteer drivers to every appointment (and as an extra bonus, Western Ferries [I live on the Cowal peninsula in Scotland] don't charge for cancer patients as passengers). Sometimes I had to hang about, because obviously it made sense for the drivers to take several patients on each journey, but it really helped to be taken door to door. Best of luck!

A big thanks for replying Shellian and for that info the driver said.  So am not alone in this and take your point about mentioning oncology every time, like you say, if we didn't have had surgery plus going through lousy side effects of bleepy C then we wouldnt be doing the journeys!     I've heard too of some (this was from an ambulance mini bus crew member) who said a few non C patients try it on regularly.    The antidepressents am on those too and when mixed in with the b.c. meds its kind of like a pot pourri of chemicals all trying to help us get better but makes me a zombie at times, every day.    I hope things get better for you, if you want to p/m me at any time then send a request.  I'll be doing a post later today about what they said.