Transport assistance
It’s often not practical to drive yourself to and from treatment, and sometimes your family is not able to be your chauffer. If they are willing, take up the offers from friends to accompany you to treatment. If you’re embarrassed or don’t want to ‘inconvenience them’, remember that they wouldn’t be offering if they didn’t want to help in a practical way. If it makes you feel better, offer to pay for their fuel and/or the parking fees.
However, sometimes you may need alternative arrangements, and you don’t want to take an taxi, Uber or public transport.
If you live regionally you may also need to travel to a major centre for treatment, which means you not only have to get there, but also find suitable accommodation for yourself and any support people.
First up, ask to speak to the social worker at your treating hospital, as they will be able to give you information on what help they can provide and what is available in your area. Some larger cancer centres and hospitals have volunteer-run transport programs.
Links
Some of these services are free while others charge a fee. Be sure to ask for a quote before booking.
Transport to treatment
- Cancer Council (not available in all states)
- Leukaemia Foundation (for people diagnosed with a blood cancer)
- Community transport
- Many councils also run community transport services – so get in touch with your local council.
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia: St John metro or regional
Accommodation
- Cancer Council Lodges:
- Medistays: Accommodation near hospitals (national)
- You Can Stay, by Sony Foundation: National Accommodation Service for patients up to 25yo (referral required)
- Victoria: Fight Cancer Foundation Accommodation
Long distance travel:
- Angel Flight: a charity that organises non-emergency flights for country patients to more easily access treatment.
- These state government schemes help cover the cost of travel and accommodation when you have to travel long distances, within your home state, to attend specialist appointments.
Need to travel interstate for treatment:
- These subsidies may help cover the cost of travelling to another state to seek treatment that is not available in your home state. Select the state where you reside.