More volunteer drivers needed in North Bay, cancer society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says it is short on volunteer drivers in the North Bay area.
Volunteer drivers are apart of the Wheels of Hope program and drive cancer patients to their appointments and home.
“If we have five to 10 people out there that like to drive and have a half a day or a few days a month, please consider volunteering with us,” said Mark Kahan, a volunteer coordinator with the cancer society.
“It really is an awesome volunteer experience, the magic really happens in the drive there’s and home. The kindness, the conversations, the compassion.”
Kahan said typically volunteer drivers are for getting patients to Health Sciences North (HSN) in Greater Sudbury and then driving them back home to North Bay.
“It can be a huge burden to a family, sometimes people in radiation have to go every day up to six weeks, Monday to Friday. So it can be a huge burden to have to take that much time off of work,” he said.
“That’s where the Wheels of Hope comes in and we have those volunteers that we urgently need.”
- Want more North Bay news? Visit CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca's North Bay news page
- Download the CTV News app now and get local alerts on your device
- Get local breaking news and updates sent to your email inbox
Calvin Cozac has been volunteering in North Bay with Wheels of Hope for 10 years.
“It is very rewarding. To a person, they are very, very appreciative of the service. Some of them would have a very difficult time getting to treatment without it so they’re very appreciative,” said Cozac.
“We meet a lot of interesting people, nice people, so it is very rewarding.”
Those with the Canadian Cancer Society told CTV News they are actively looking for new volunteers.
A non-smoking vehicle, a clean driving record with three demerit points or less and Covid-19 vaccinations are required to be a volunteer driver.
For more information on becoming a volunteer visit the Canadian Cancer Society’s volunteer page or email: volunteer@cancer.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
'I killed four people': Trial hears video evidence of Jeremy Skibicki at Winnipeg trial
“I killed four people,” alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki told two homicide detectives during a recorded interview played as evidence in his trial Wednesday.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.