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Wheels of Hope needs local drivers to assist cancer patients

December 4, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

When a person is diagnosed with cancer, it is a life-changing event that can present many challenges.

One of those challenges is simply getting to medical centres for treatment.

Some people do not drive or don’t have a friend or relative to help them. Sometimes, there is just no one available to help due to other obligations.

Some cancer patients may not be able to operate a vehicle after some of their treatment. Since some patients may have to go for radiation treatment for up to six weeks, the constant travel can be difficult.

Wheels of Hope is a program offered by the Canadian Cancer Society that pairs volunteer drivers with people with cancer who need help getting to and from their treatment appointments.

The program operates in Ontario and several other provinces and is currently being expanded to include the East Coast.

Locally, there is a shortage of drivers in New Tecumseth and the surrounding area. Currently, the local program has only one driver, even though the volume of patients requires several more volunteers to ensure everyone who needs a ride has one.

Wheels of Hope is looking for at least five more volunteers to step up and be a part of the program.

Volunteers are not required to be dedicated to a strict schedule.

The program is very flexible, so volunteers can choose the days they would like to drive as well as have a choice in the destinations they will drive to.

With the flexible schedule, Wheels of Hope is looking for drivers who can commit long-term, for at least six months, since they don’t have to adhere to a rigid schedule and can drive whenever they choose.

Volunteers are reimbursed for both mileage and parking fees incurred.  

The program operates Monday to Friday during daytime hours.

This is a valuable program that helps many people. Clients report back to Wheels of Hope that they don’t know what they would have done without the program’s assistance.

Volunteer drivers say that this work feels rewarding, and they get back more than they give from the feeling of doing something good and helping others. They feel they are making a difference in someone’s life and helping someone in their own community.

Volunteer drivers enjoy meeting people from all walks of life during their drives.

If you are considering becoming a volunteer driver, your driver’s license should have 3 or fewer demerits, and you should have operated a 100 per cent smoke-free vehicle.

Volunteers will also be required to undergo a criminal background check and provide references.

Wheels of Hope needs drivers from New Tecumseth and the surrounding area, including Everett. Volunteers will be asked to drive to Barrie and Toronto. 

You can become a Wheels of Hope volunteer driver by visiting volunteercancer.ca and clicking on Wheels of Hope.

For more information, you can email volunteer@cancer.ca or call 1-888-939-3333. 

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