Gas prices force cutbacks on transportation program for cancer patients

Indianapolis -- Little Red Door Cancer Agency is forced to cutback on its transportation program. “Due to rising gas costs and the increasing demand for transportation assistance for cancer patients, Little Red Door’s transportation program has cutback half the number of trips provided each month,” said Michele Perrin, Patient Services Manager at Little Red Door. In May, Little Red Door provided over 600 ambulatory trips and 85 non-ambulatory trips for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatments.

To ensure the program lasts the entire year, drastic cutbacks were implemented to decrease the number of ambulatory and non-ambulatory trips.

“Currently we have 30 to 40 cancer patients per month who will have a difficult time accessing transportation to get to their life saving treatments,” Michele said. “It’s heartbreaking to turn away the most vulnerable clients suffering from cancer who lack financial means, family support, and now no transportation.”

Mae Brodeth, 51, became very ill suddenly in February to later be diagnosed with cervical cancer. She was training to be a doctor at Indiana University (IU) until her illness struck. Her family lives in the Philippines. When friends and family weren’t available to take her to her radiation and chemo treatments, social services referred her to Little Red Door’s transportation program. “I used the service every day at one point for radiation treatments and once a week for chemo treatments,” said Brodeth, “it has been life saving.”

Brodeth had to be placed on a waiting list for the month of June and ended up contacting a staff member at IU to take her to her appointments. She said it’s very difficult to ask staff and friends because they have lives, families and demanding jobs and she doesn’t want to bother them.

With soaring gas prices over $4 per gallon, the Agency’s transportation resources are being depleted too fast. Dedicated staff must deliver the news to patients that transportation is not available and some patients break down in tears when turned away; many ask who else can help them.

Executive Director, John Aleshire explains, “The lack of transportation has been identified as one of the most pervasive barriers to health care services. If we cannot get them [our clients] to their cancer appointments, their lives are in jeopardy.”

Cancer patient Robert Starkey, 51, relies on transportation services provided by Need-a-Lift, an outside vendor Little Red Door pays to provide transportation. He has no car and taking a bus, due to his illness, is no longer an option. “I have pancreatic cancer and am very weak. I’m terminally ill and have 4-12 months to live and am holding on to faith and prayers,” he said. Starkey, after 80 trips, was placed on a waiting list for the first time.

People suffering from cancer depend on transportation. The staff members of Little Red Door are sympathetic to their clients needs and sincerely want to help support them. Brodeth understands and realizes the extent of the problem and graciously offered, “I’m going to tell my friends to give donations and when I get back to work, I’m going to give to keep the program going.”

While the staff is considering other options to reduce costs, the need for reliable cost efficient transportation is still prevalent. Purchasing bus passes for patients and working with nearby hospitals, cutting out transportation for Lymphedema related appointments, and working closely with Medicaid patients are alternative ways being investigated by the Agency to cut costs.

Ultimately, contributions from the community are needed to help ensure that cancer patients are not turned away and that transportation is not disrupted.

For more information contact Little Red Door Cancer Agency, 1801 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202, 317-925-5595, www.littlereddoor.org.