How Berwick Cancer Cars Helps Patients in Need
Ahead of World Cancer Day on 4th February, the chair of Berwick Cancer Cars shares how the charity helps patients in need, and how we can support their vital work
Living in a remote rural area puts cancer patients in a difficult situation and people could end up turning down their treatment if they couldn’t access transport. Thanks to the generosity of its supporters, the charity can offer free transport for those with a cancer diagnosis from Berwick and the surrounding areas (Belford and Wooler) to attend their cancer-related appointments. The volunteer team help hundreds of clients to reach their appointments, with the cars making more than 1,000 roundtrip journeys each year. In November last year alone, volunteers drove 12,385 miles. Because of the ever-changing nature of cancer treatment, the charity is finding that patients are expected to go further afield for more specialist treatment, and it continues to support their circumstances.
‘For about 30 years, it was purely a transport service and it actually ran out of Asda’s car park in Tweedmouth,’ says Ann. ‘There was no headquarters, and everybody used their own telephones and computers.’ But three years ago Berwick Cancer Cars acquired its own premises and the cars are now based there, on Tweed Street in Berwick. ‘We’re incredibly fortunate that Asda put up with us for 30 years. We never really had any issues but we also had nowhere where we could clean them and do basic maintenance,’ explains Ann, and this premises has made that easier. ‘It’s also allowed us space to offer more support in different ways.’
‘The feedback we get from people around us is just amazing. They’re so thankful and grateful for what the service gives them'
The charity now provides Butterfly Touch – a complementary therapy service. ‘Somebody who is currently going through treatment, or has finished treatment within the past 24 months, can get up to six complementary therapy sessions,’ says Ann. ‘One of our volunteers had worked in a clinical background as a practice nurse, and she looked into complementary therapies for people who are undergoing cancer treatment. It’s proven that aromatherapy massage, oncology massage, or reflexology can assist in their recovery. We also offer guided meditation within the building.’
The charity now also runs craft groups. ’It’s a safe space for people to come along,’ says Ann. ‘Craft is quite a good opener. They may not want to go to peer-to-peer support groups where they’re talking about their treatments but the craft sessions give an opening for people to chat [informally] and maybe talk about issues that they’ve had.’
Ann says each and every part of the charity’s offering is rewarding. ‘When you live in a rural area, some people simply can’t get down to Newcastle for their treatment,’ she says. ‘The feedback we get from people around us is just amazing. They’re so thankful and grateful for what the service gives them.
‘It’s a purely voluntary service. Every single one of us is a volunteer and all the money we get goes back into the running of it. We need people to volunteer. We have a small management committee but all of us do multiple jobs. We’re constantly looking for drivers to come through, or maybe to be trustees who’ve got a background in management.’
Fundraising is equally important. A team of runners take part in the Great North Run each year in support of the charity and there are ways to shop and donate online. ‘We really welcome any form of fundraising,’ says Ann. ‘We’re tremendously well supported by the community.’ The charity show their gratitude through how they name the cars in the fleet. Their newest addition, Oggy, is inspired by the ‘Oggy!, Oggy!, Oggy’ chants that runners make as they enter some of the road tunnels in Newcastle near the start of the Great North Run.
Ann hopes the premises is continued to be used as a hub by locals. ‘The charity is prepared to offer the space to anybody who wants to set up any sort of cancer self-help group,’ she says. ‘We’ve currently got a breast cancer support group and it’s run independently of the charity, but we provide the space. If someone wanted to set up a prostate cancer support group, for example, we would willingly give them the space to do that too.’
