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Survivors steer cancer patients on road to recovery
By Janice Youngwith
Everyone knows of a famous road or two - the road to freedom, the long road home, road to success, road to perdition, Route 66 and perhaps even a pothole ridden Chicago area thoroughfare or residential drive.
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| Cancer survivor Pat Lotts of Wheaton reunites 58 years later on the road to recovery with American Cancer Society Road to Recovery volunteer Joe Maier. |
How to help
Volunteers like Joe Maier and Maureen Sadowski helped the American Cancer Society provide more than 25,000 rides for Illinois cancer patients seeking transportation to and from doctor appoints, for chemotherapy and radiation therapy appointments this past year.
Anyone interested in becoming a Road To Recovery driver, should contact their local American Cancer Society office or call (800) 227-2345.
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But for those receiving a cancer diagnosis, none are more important than the road to recovery.
Providing a lift & helping hand
Retired nurse Maureen Sadowski of Arlington Heights has made a career out of helping others. For the past three years one of her favorite volunteer roles has literally put her in the driver's seat.
As an American Cancer Society Road To Recovery volunteer, Sadowski, 73, has given a lift and helping hand to a number of cancer patients throughout the northwest suburbs, making frequent trips to and from Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Northwest Community Hospital, Glenbrook Hospital, Alexian Brothers Medical Center and various other treatment destinations.
The mother of eight and grandmother to 16 says it was her family's personal cancer experience and an article in the local newspaper that first opened her eyes to cancer patients' need for rides.
"My husband of 43 years, Ken, lost his battle with lung cancer, and one of my daughters succumbed to breast cancer seven years ago," Sadowski explains. "Everyone was so kind to us during those times and I just knew this was something I could do to make a difference for someone else facing a similar struggle."
Typically providing rides two or three times for each patient, Sadowski says she vividly recalls one gentleman, a distinguished WWII vet, who she drove to and from treatments in Glenview. Her road trips have taken her to all corners of the suburbs.
No stranger to volunteerism, Sadowski and her extended family are active participants in various ACS Relay For Life events across the country, Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure events, and her daughters participate annually in the Danskin Triathlon in Kenosha, amassing teams of family and friends.
In addition, the retired Manor Care and Northwest Community Continuing Care nurse says she also enjoys volunteer roles as cooking coordinator for the PADS program through Our Lady of The Wayside parish and assisting elderly residents with hair care every Thursday at St. Joseph's Home, Palatine.
Reuniting on the road
When Wheaton resident Pat Lotts was diagnosed with lung cancer in November, she knew transportation would be an issue.
"Due to macular degeneration, I don't drive and without nearby family, it was difficult to coordinate rides to and from Central DuPage Hospital, Winfield," says the retired AT & T technical administrator. "The ACS Road To Recovery program has been wonderful in many unexpected ways."
During a January appointment, Lotts learned of the ACS program and made the initial call, providing coordinators with her monthly treatment schedule.
"One morning Rick from the ACS office called to let me know that Joe Maier would be my driver," she says. "I recalled knowing a Joe Maier 58 years ago while attending elementary school at St. Edmund Catholic School in Oak Park and wondered if perhaps it could be the same man."
It was!
"Fifty-eight years later, we hugged and reminisced," Lotts says. "Neither of us looked as we did during our 8th grade Class of 1951 days, but it was such a wonderful surprise."
Maier, 71, now resides in nearby Glen Ellyn with his wife, Colleen, and has been driving cancer patients to and from appointments since last fall.
The retired advertising executive says he has many fond memories of his grammar school days with "Patsy" Lotts, a good friend who lived just a block from his childhood home. "She was a bit taller than I and always very effervescent," recalls the father of four and grandfather of seven. "I'm taller and she still has that positive attitude I remember."
Following his days at St. Edmund's, the duo lost touch as Patsy moved away and Maier attended first Fenwick High School, then Notre Dame University and ultimately earned his MBA at the University of Chicago.
"While I've stayed in touch with many of my peers, Patsy and I lost contact until that call came for a ride to a chemotherapy appointment," says the former advertising exec whose eclectic career since retiring from The Leo Burnett Advertising Agency led to a stint as a visiting professor in Lugano, Switzerland teaching students from more than 50 countries at Franklin College.
"While in Europe, my wife found a lump and began her own breast cancer battle," Maier reports. "She is now a 10-year survivor and we're always looking for ways to help others facing similar situations."
Maier and Lotts say there's just no knowing who you'll reconnect with on the road to recovery. "It was certainly a highlight of my treatment!" Lotts says.
Volunteer opportunities
The American Cancer Society has a vast volunteer network in which individuals can make a difference in the fight against cancer. Volunteers can help with the Road to Recovery program by serving as volunteer drivers or coordinators. Schedules are flexible and training is provided.
• Volunteer drivers donate their time to take patients to treatment and back home again. They also provide encouragement and support. Drivers must have a valid driver's license for the state where they live. They must also have a safe, reliable vehicle and proof of automobile insurance. Volunteer drivers must have a good driving history and be in good health.
• Driver coordinators help schedule the rides. Coordinators can work whenever it's convenient for them, one day a week, during the evening, or weekends. All it takes is as little as four hours a week of your time, organization, and communication skills to make a major impact on the well-being of cancer patients in your community.
To learn about these and other volunteer opportunities in your area, call (800) 227-2345.
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