Travelling to access services is nothing new to regional residents.
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However, when illness is thrown into the mix, sometimes that travel can be prohibitive if not downright impossible.
With over 48,000 people in NSW being diagnosed with cancer each and every year, providing free support for transport is one of the most important services the Cancer Council offers to regional and rural communities.
This free service - Transport to Treatment (T2T) - is available for cancer patients in the MIA, helping get people in need to their cancer-related appointments.
During the last 18 months, T2T in the Cancer Council - Western region has travelled over 130,000km.
Griffith driver John Santos is now in his second year of volunteering for the service.
"I'm a cancer survivor and I saw it as an opportunity to give something back," Mr Santos said.
"I was looked after very well. I felt I had the time to give and thought it was a good, worthy cause."
The T2T service is run out of the Cancer Council's Wagga office, but has a car permanently located in Griffith.
"There are half a dozen volunteer drivers in Griffith," Mr Santos said.
"We are given a roster at the beginning of each month and allocated a particular day. The Cancer Council then advises us by email closer to the day whether we are needed and who the patient is."
Where the transport is required depends on the treatment of the individual patient.
"I can pick up people and bring them to oncology in Griffith for chemotherapy," Mr Santos said.
"If it is radiation or nuclear treatment, nuclear is in Albury and radiation is mainly in Wagga."
Mel Nixon from Cancer Council - Western Region said programs like T2T help families manage the heavy time commitments involved in transporting loved ones to cancer-related appointments.
"Every little bit of support helps and for families trying to juggle work, school, sport and life commitments, knowing that Cancer Council can safely help your family member get to their appointment at no cost to the family budget, is so reassuring," Mrs Nixon said.
The T2T program can also provide transport for people attending cancer screening services and awareness opportunities, such as support groups and courses.
Mr Santos said there was no such thing as a "typical" day for a volunteer driver.
"They're all different," he said.
"Cancer doesn't discriminate. You become a listener if the patient wants to talk, but you play it by ear.
"I find it rewarding to give something back to the community. Sometimes I wish I could do more."
Cancer clients and their carers can self-refer to the service. To make a booking or to find out more about T2T, call the Cancer Council - Western office in Wagga on 02 6937 2600.
Click HERE to read the MIA Community & health e-mag.
