American Cancer Society bringing program to Libby

The American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery Program will be offered in Lincoln County.

Judy Pfaff, ACS Quality of Life manager, said Road to Recovery couples cancer patients in need of transportation to and from their treatments with volunteers willing to drive them. Pfaff will lead a training workshop for all volunteer drivers interested in participating on Saturday, March 27 from noon-1:30 p.m., at the Venture Inn in Libby.

The training session includes lunch.

Pfaff said the majority of the requests for rides will be to Kalispell with an occasional trip to Spokane, Wash.

“Both chemotherapy and radiation have saved or extended countless lives since their inception, but because they are so powerful they can have a physically debilitating impact on the patients,” Pfaff said. “Just imagine having a terrible case of the flu and then having to drive 70 or 80 miles back home. That’s how the side effects of the treatments affect many of the patients. And that’s why we consider each volunteer driver to be an essential member of the patient’s medical team.”

Drivers are asked to make one trip per month, but can volunteer for as many as they wish.

“We have Road to Recovery in many other parts of Montana and typically the volunteers start out thinking they’ll just be doing something nice for someone who needs a little help during a tough time in their lives,” Pfaff said. “However, after a trip or two they start to realize they’re actually doing something that’s helping to save the patient’s life; that’s when they really start feeling a satisfaction for what they’re doing.”

To RSVP for the training or for more information about the American Cancer Society Lincoln County Road to Recovery Program, call Pfaff at 406-728-1004 or send her an e-mail at judy.pfaff@cancer.org .