to treatment sessions
The ride stuff to help
cancer patients recover
Volunteers ensure victims of disease can make it
to treatment sessions
By jane waterhouse
Staff Writer
JANE WATERHOUSE Volunteer driver Baldwin Davidson of Red Bank goes the extra mile for cancer patients traveling with the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program.
You might not be able to tell by looking at him, but to some people Baldwin Davidson is an angel on wheels.
"I’m semi-retired, and I started thinking about doing volunteer work," the resident of Spring Street in Red Bank said. "I’d lost a number of people to cancer — my sister, nephew, grandnephew and a dear friend. A woman in my synagogue is very active in the Cancer Society so I asked her — what can I do to help?"
His friend steered him to the Eastern Division of the American Cancer Society in Shrewsbury where Davidson first learned about the Road to Recovery program.
"Cancer patients have a long haul ahead of them," said Christa Keleigh, coordinator of Patient and Family Services. "Often they need daily or weekly outpatient treatments over an extended period of time. One of the problems is finding reliable transportation to and from their doctor’s office or hospital."
Keleigh explained that patients receiving chemotherapy are not able to drive. "Many of our senior citizen patients don’t drive anyway," she said. "And their medical appointments are almost always during the daytime when family members are at work."
That’s where the Road to Recovery program comes in.
"We’re a volunteer-run service through which patients can get rides to and from their medical treatments. Providing reliable transportation may sound like a simple thing, but it can be a critical part of a cancer care," said Keleigh.
"Once the patient knows his treatment schedule, he can call us to request rides for those specific dates," she said. "Then we put the information into a logbook and one of our coordinators matches the patient up with a volunteer who’s available."
"Some days it’s fun, and some days it’s not — but you always feel like you’re making a difference," said Davidson, who has been driving patients for over a year and half.
"For the most part, the people I’ve met are a lot of fun to be with," he said. "They don’t dwell on their disease — in fact, usually we don’t even talk about it."
Each volunteer who signs up for the program is given a brief training course. "We show them a videotape that touches upon what the patient goes through, to let them know what to expect," Keleigh said.
Confidentiality is stressed. "We tell them that what you talk about in the car, stays in the car," Keleigh said. "The drivers aren’t there to dispense medical advice. We don’t want anybody saying, oh, yeah, my Uncle Harry had that."
"We chat about whatever’s on their mind — the weather, sports, what’s happening in the headlines," said Davidson, adding with a laugh. "I try to steer away from politics, though."
Keleigh said while most volunteers are called at least once a week, the time commitment varies. "A radiation treatment only takes about a half an hour," she said, "while a chemo treatment may require as much as six hours."
Davidson believes in coming prepared. "I have a camp chair in the back of my car, and on nice days I set it out and sit there reading the magazine section of the Sunday Times until my patient is ready to go," he said.
Although he tries to keep some emotional distance, Davidson said he has formed a close bond with many of the patients he’s driven.
"I drove one old gentleman on a regular basis for quite some time. He was a widower with no children and his niece and nephew lived out of state," the volunteer recalled. "When he passed away, his niece called to personally thank me for what I’d done. The man had had about a dozen drivers during his illness and the woman called to thank every single one."
"There’s a lot of demand for this program and volunteers are always needed," said Keleigh.
"When I first started I didn’t know what I was getting into," said Davidson with a grin. "But the people I drive are so appreciative. I’m constantly impressed by their great fighting spirit."
Which means Baldwin Davidson will probably be behind the driver’s seat, helping patients on their Road to Recovery for a long time.
To learn more about the Road to Recovery program call (800) ACS-2345. Volunteers should have a safe driving record and carry automobile liability insurance.