A north-east charity has launched a transport service in partnership with the NHS in an effort to ease patient suffering during treatment.
Cancer charity Friends of Anchor launched the campaign with NHS Grampian to provide transport for patients who commute for life-saving treatments at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
Previously, north-east patients would have to arrange their own travel to the central belt, creating unnecessary stress.
However, the new service that launched on August 29 is aiming to reduce anxiety by providing volunteer drivers to transport patients to and from their appointments.
Former patient and Friends of Anchor volunteer, Yvonne Mitchell, 39, from Methlick said: “Travelling up and down to Glasgow every week after stem cell transplant was extremely tiring.
“There was no way I could drive myself and so I relied on my husband Scott and my dad who looked after our three daughters every Sunday for the best part of a year.”
Having now finished her treatment, Yvonne added: “Having the new transport service will be fantastic and will make life that little bit easier for patients to focus on recovery, meaning there is one less thing to worry about.
“It will be a dedicated service, with the priority on the patient. You cannot get better than that.”
The patient-led service also features provisions such as pillows, blankets and fruit to keep passengers comfortable as they travel.
Volunteer driver Iain Barclay, 62, from Bridge of Don, said: “To be able to donate time to carry out a patient transfer during a stressful time in the patient’s treatment is a very rewarding experience.
“Traveling to and from the central belt in relative comfort from ARI will hopefully reduce the patient’s anxiety at what is a difficult period in their recovery.”
Patients will be able to book their travel in advance by contacting the NHS Grampian Haematology Clinic and Day Unit at Ward 307.
