Morris Johnson has been told to hit the brakes on his volunteer job.
The Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society officially suspended its service Tuesday night in order to protect the health of its patients and volunteer drivers during the continuing COVID-19 crisis.
Johnson, an 83-year-old longtime North Vancouver resident, understands the need for social distancing during such a tumultuous and rapidly changing time, but up until a few days ago he was still willing to make sure cancer patients that might not have any other way to get to their appointments could still get the treatments they needed.
The BC Cancer Agency advised the volunteer society to suspend its free transportation service for the time being in order to protect patients, many of whom are already immunocompromised.
“I can understand their concern,” said Johnson, who has been driving patients since the society formed in 2016 after the Canadian Cancer Society dropped its free shuttle service for cancer patients.
But while social distancing is important – many of the immunocompromised cancer patients are also elderly, as are many of the volunteer drivers themselves – Johnson has been left wondering how some of his clients will get to their chemotherapy or radiation treatment sessions.
“It’s going to be a real disadvantage to a lot of people and it’s going to be very expensive. If somebody has to take a cab over town and back it’s going to be $100 before they turn around,” said Johnson.
The Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society offers free rides to hospitals and cancer treatment centres throughout much of Metro Vancouver.
The volunteer society gave rides to more than 973 different patients last year, including one patient who received more than 100 rides, according to society co-founder George Garrett.
“Now we have to recommend patients get friends or a family member to take them when it’s necessary,” said Garrett. “Even our most senior driver said it’s very hard on him and the other drivers – but he said it was the right decision.”
Under orders from B.C.’s chief medical officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, only urgent or emergency surgeries are being conducted at hospitals right now as the province empties acute care hospital beds in preparation for a potential coronavirus outbreak.
Cancer patients who are feeling well and not under the requirement to self-isolate following travel are asked to attend their regular treatment appointments at BC Cancer by themselves in order to limit the number of visitors to the centres, according to a statement from Kevin Hare, executive director of operations at BC Cancer.
“BC Cancer centres remain open to patients who are well to provide the treatments they need. Any patients experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms should reschedule their appointments and may use the B.C. COVID-19 self-assessment tool, covid19.thrive.health,” stated Hare in an emailed response.
Johnson started his volunteer job with the society after driving his late wife back and forth to her own cancer appointments for more than a year and realizing how important the service was for sick people. He’s now waiting to get the go-ahead that it’s safe to drive patients once again.
“As soon as we can, we’ll be back at it,” he said.
