American Cancer Society looks for 100 new volunteer drivers to take patients to treatment
It's the season of giving, and one non-profit organization is providing its own version of a sleigh ride, one patient at a time.
Retiree Mark Reaves begins his mission on a chilly December day.
"They can't really afford to hire a driver. They can't afford to use Uber, which is not personal anyhow," Reaves said.
He's donating his time and driving cancer patients to appointments.
"You can pick if that's a ride you want to do," Reaves said. "Some of them can be very, very close to your home."
The Denton County resident lends a listening ear and a compassionate heart to his passengers.
"You get emotionally attached, and you want to help," Reaves said. "Most of them surprisingly want to talk about it. I'm obviously very sympathetic to them, and I try to encourage them. They need encouragement. It's a big, big deal. They're going through a lot of emotional things."
It's a disease he knows all too well.
"My wife and I were both affected by cancer. We did not have terminal cancer, but we had cancer. We're survivors. My sister also had it," Reaves said.
Reaves has turned survival into service. He beat prostate cancer and helps others battling the illness as a volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery.
American Cancer Society North Texas Vice President Jim Brown said the program is crucial.
"The more you delay treatment, the poorer your outcomes typically are," Brown said. "The number one reason why people miss their cancer treatments is because they don't have a ride to get to and from those treatments."
The non-profit's Christmas wish is to find 100 new volunteer drivers in North Texas.
"Volunteers can donate their time when they are available. We hope that people can drive twice a month, but it is really on your schedule," Brown said.
"I look at them as though they're like one of my relatives," Reaves said. "That's my attitude towards it, so I treat them the way I would my closest relatives."
For Reaves, it's a simple act of kindness, making a difference and changing the lives of North Texans in their time of need.
One in two men and one in three women in the United States will receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. In Texas, almost 140,000 people are diagnosed each year, and more than 44,000 die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.
Volunteer drivers must:
- Be aged 18–84
- Have a valid driver's license and safe driving record
- Use a reliable, insured vehicle
- Pass background and motor vehicle records checks
- Complete online training and use our online ride scheduling tool
- Most rides are Monday–Friday during the day. You choose the rides that fit your schedule, with a suggested minimum of two rides per month.
- We work with your schedule and only schedule rides when you are available.
In 2024, the program provided more than 670 rides in North Texas, serving Dallas, Collin, Denton, Tarrant, Parker and Wise counties.
Click here if you'd like to volunteer your time as a driver or if you need rides for cancer treatment and appointments.