Dromid Cancer Care Support Car

Description

The Dromid Cancer Care Support Car is a volunteer-driven initiative that provides free, safe, and reliable transport for individuals in the Dromid area and across the Iveragh Peninsula who are undergoing cancer treatment. This service ensures equitable access to essential healthcare, particularly for rural residents facing long distances, limited public transport, and emotional or physical challenges.
This project is financed through fundraising to maintain and expand the service, including fuel costs, vehicle maintenance, insurance, volunteer driver support, and administrative coordination.
Residents of rural South Kerry often face significant barriers in accessing cancer care, including long travel distances to treatment centres in Tralee, Cork, and other locations. Public transport options are sparse, and for many patients, especially the elderly or those with limited family support, regular travel to treatment becomes a major burden. The Dromid Cancer Care Support Car directly addresses this need by providing dependable transport free of charge, ensuring that no one has to forgo or delay treatment due to lack of transport.

Aim of Initiative

The Dromid Cancer Care Support Car was established with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals and families affected by cancer—particularly those living in rural areas where access to treatment can be a significant hurdle. Its primary aim is to ensure that no one undergoing cancer treatment ever feels alone or unsupported in their journey. By offering free, reliable, and compassionate transportation to and from hospitals and treatment centres, the service removes one of the most common barriers to care: the lack of accessible transport. This initiative provides more than just a ride—it offers peace of mind, emotional support, and the reassurance that the community stands beside each person every step of the way.”

Who is it aimed at

The Dromid Cancer Care Support Car was established in direct response to the significant barriers faced by individuals and families in our rural community who are affected by cancer. Many patients must travel long distances to access essential treatment and medical appointments, often without reliable transportation or the means to arrange it consistently.
This initiative is designed to provide safe, dependable, and compassionate transport for cancer patients to hospitals and treatment centres. By addressing the issue of geographic and financial inaccessibility, the Support Car ensures that no individual is forced to miss or delay critical care due to transportation challenges.
Rooted in community spirit, the Dromid Cancer Care Support Car not only offers a vital logistical solution but also fosters emotional support through personal connection and volunteer engagement. This project has become a pillar of hope and resilience for patients and their families, and continued funding will allow us to maintain and expand this essential service to meet growing needs.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Community-Led Planning & Needs Assessment
   Engagement with local residents and cancer patients to assess transport and support needs. Consultation with local healthcare providers and hospitals to align with treatment schedules and patient referrals.
   A deep seated understanding of geographic and logistical barriers, especially in rural areas like Iveragh where transport options may be limited.
2. 2. Strong Local Partnerships
   Collaboration with local healthcare services (University Hospital Kerry/C.U.H)
   Cancer support charities such as the Irish Cancer Society/Kerry Cork Cancer Bus/
   Community and volunteer groups.
3. Volunteer Recruitment and Training
   Recruitment of trusted, vetted volunteer drivers from within the community. Training in patient care, confidentiality, and dealing with medical emergencies. Clear policies on insurance, vehicle maintenance, and driver safety.
   Reliable and Accessible Transport is highly important also. The use of a well-maintained, comfortable vehicle that is easily accessible for patients with limited mobility.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Volunteer Shortages
   The service relies heavily on a dedicated team of volunteer drivers. However, like many rural areas, there is a consistent need to recruit more volunteers to meet the growing demand.
2. Funding Constraints
   Operating a volunteer-driven transport service incurs costs for fuel, vehicle maintenance, insurance, and other expenses. Securing consistent funding is a significant challenge, especially as the service expands to meet increasing demand.
3. Geographical Coverage
   Iveragh’s rural setting means that patients often need to travel long distances to access treatment centres. This can lead to logistical challenges in coordinating rides and ensuring timely arrivals for appointments this combined with increased demand can create issues. As population ages and the number of cancer diagnoses rises, the demand for transport services grows. This increased demand can strain existing resources, making it difficult to accommodate all patients in need .

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. This service provides free, door-to-door transport for cancer patients to attend medical appointments, particularly those requiring travel to hospitals in Tralee, Cork, or Limerick. It also assists individuals with mobility issues and supports other essential community services so as outcomes go it is and has been of wonderful assistance to so many.
2. Our Volunteer Driver Service facilitated 1200 trips to and from cancer treatments in 2024/2025, highlighting the importance of such services in rural areas.
3. Another superb outcome has been the voluntary fundraising that has been done on behalf of the service primarily by families of those who have been supported by the service, that and the lovely link created between volunteers and cancer care support car users.