Cancer brings with it many new challenges that will fundamentally affect your lifestyle and you may find that you are no longer able to perform a wide range of the basic day-to-day tasks that you once could. Driving is one common activity that becomes increasingly difficult for most cancer patients, many of whom find that they are too tired or ill to be able to safely get themselves to and from their doctors’ offices and treatment appointments. You might also find that your area’s public transportation does not meet your needs, due to time restraints or because it is simply too uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are a variety of programs available to help you get where you need to go, many of which cost little to no money, ensuring that a variety of paratransit programs exist to meet your treatment needs, no matter what they might be.
Although there are a wide variety of private, for profit non-emergency medical transportation options for hire, these are oftentimes too expensive or are not fully covered by a patient’s insurance policy. Many local governments at the city, county, and state levels provide transportation services to sufferers of mesothelioma and other cancers. The Department of Transportation or a social worker will be able to tell you if your area is serviced by a public service such as Dial-A-Ride. The Americans with Disabilities Act, which passed in 1990 and has been in effect since 1992, drastically expanded the availability of public paratransit services.
In addition to the transport programs provided by the state, private charities and religious organizations often provide similar services on a local basis. Hospitals and other treatment facilities of a certain size often have free or inexpensive transport programs of their own. You should inquire at your area’s places of worship. The American Cancer Society, committed to the prevention and treatment of cancer, operates the Road to Recovery, a large organization of volunteer drivers and who give their time and their vehicles so that cancer patients across the country can get the treatment they need. To find out if Road to Recovery is available where you live, call 1-800-227-2345.
Longer journeys to clinics may necessitate traveling by plane, which can sometimes be prohibitively expensive. Fortunately there are charities that exist so that patients can access the treatment they require, no matter how far away it might be. These programs can be extremely helpful to patients and families, who upon dealing with the inherent nature of a mesothelioma prognosis, have much more important things to worry about than transportation logistics. Corporate Angel Network, Inc. and Angel Flight both offer air transportation to cancer patients who need to travel large distances by air but who cannot afford the high cost of flying. Angel Flight can be contacted at 1-800-296-3797 and the Corporate Angel Network can be reached at 1-800-227-2345
Barbara O’Brien
