Road To Recovery drivers needed

The American Cancer Society Road To Recovery program is a transportation service that provides free rides to cancer patients to and from their cancer-related treatments.

Trained volunteer drivers donate their time and the use of their personal vehicles to help patients get to the treatments they need.

Cancer patients cite transportation to and from medical treatment as a critical need, second only to direct financial assistance.

Last year in DuPage and Lake counties, Road To Recovery provided 5,129 rides to cancer treatment, but more than 1,100 requested rides went unfulfilled due to a lack of available drivers. Driver qualifications include:

• Age Requirement: Volunteer drivers must be between the ages of 18 and 85.

• Valid Driver's License: Volunteer drivers must have a valid driver's license from the state in which the transportation will take place.

• Properly Working Vehicle: Volunteer drivers must have a properly working vehicle with valid tags.

• Insured Vehicle: Volunteer drivers must use a vehicle that is insured in Illinois.

• Pass Background Checks: Volunteer drivers must submit to a background check, insurance verification, driver's license verification and motor vehicle record check.

• Road To Recovery Trained: Volunteer drivers must be properly trained and provided with necessary items as determined by the society.

• Daytime availability: The vast majority of patient requests for rides occur from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, because that is often when treatments are scheduled.