Prince George cancer patients will still have a free service to shuttle them to appointments despite news the Canadian Cancer Society is shuttering its volunteer driver program this fall.
That's because the service was always offered locally through the Freemasons Cancer Car Program.
The Freemason's program launched three years ago when the B.C. Cancer Agency's Centre for the North opened, but has been in operation across the province for the past 25 years. It is also offered in the Okanagan, Vancouver Island and Vancouver.
"We are completely separate," said Terry Foulds, coordinator for the Freemasons Prince George chapter, adding he wanted to make sure the public was aware as news of the society's program closure spread. "We provide rides to all cancer patients, to and from all their appointments, whether it be they're going to treatment at the cancer clinic, to the hospital for X-rays or to their doctors."
Foulds said the Freemasons provide the vehicles, the gas, the insurance and the volunteers to serve the more than 2,200 passengers that used the program as of the end of August.
In 2014, it had 3,022 passengers in Prince George, an increase from the 1,995 who used the service in 2013.
It has 48 active volunteers in Prince George, with about 100 who offer to drive through the year. Half of those volunteers are associated with Freemasons, said Foulds, and the rest are often people who have used the service, affected by cancer or want to get involved.
"This is their way of giving back," said Foulds, adding "we're always looking for volunteers."
The Freemasons are contracted by the Canadian Cancer Society, which provides the local group with an office and its equipment at the Kordyban Lodge.
"They will continue to do that," Foulds said.
On its website, the cancer society said the decision was difficult to make.
"Key factors such as similar government-funded driving programs and decreasing volunteers and ridership combined with increasing operating costs guided the decision to close the Volunteer Driver Program in B.C.," it said.
It costs the Freemasons about $360,000 annually to offer the provincial service. Foulds didn't have the breakdown for the Prince George's costs, but said the organization draws $17 from each member and the rest is raised by donations - about 70 per cent.
The local group has about 120 members. Foulds said many of the clients come to rely on the service.
One man was paying a $25 taxi ride to and from his appointments, which he now doesn't have to worry about.
"I think it would mean a financial hardship for them," said Foulds of the Lower Mainland clients who are now without the service.
The service isn't offered to outlying communities, but Foulds pointed to Northern Health Connections as a transportation option. Northern Health has six coaches and five minibuses for people who have to travel outside their community for non-emergency health care. For more information about the service or to volunteer, contact [email protected] or 250-645-2373.
