Mission picking up hospital parking cost for cancer patients
By Karen RobinetWednesday July 08, 2008
Sometimes the little things can make a big difference.
That’s the rationale behind a new initiative from the Myles Miracle Mission.
Last Thursday, executive director Susan McLellan announced that from now on, parking fees at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance for those with cancer will be paid for by the mission.
“There’s many facets to a journey with cancer,” McLellan said, adding that while the medical issues tend to be at the forefront, the day-to-day challenges are sometimes ignored.
“Rates are now $5 a day,” she said, adding that “someone who is just beginning their cancer journey may be at the hospital three times a week; they may have to go back twice in one day.”
For some people, McLellan said, parking costs may not be an issue, but for others, the additional expense can make a difficult situation even worse.
“If you only have $1,000 a month to live on, you only have $1,000,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what else is going on in your world.”
McLellan credited increased donations to the mission for making the initiative possible, and said people are recognizing that dollars donated to the local charity are funnelled back into the community.
“I think the community will be pleased to see their cancer donations hard at work,” she said, “and everybody who donates can see everybody is getting a piece of that donation.”
McLellan said the parking project is the first of what she hopes will be more initiatives aimed at relieving the burden of those dealing with cancer locally.
“I can only foresee other great things happening, with more programs and services.”
To access the free parking, cancer patients will work with the CKHA’s oncology department to determine how many visits will be needed to the hospital. They will then get a card that will be taken to the Myles Miracle Mission Cancer Wellness Centre on Victoria Ave., where they will be reimbursed.
McLellan said the parking initiative is being offered to all residents of Chatham-Kent, regardless of their financial situation.
“With everything you have to worry about in dealing with cancer, you have to start somewhere in our community,” she said. “And if it starts out paying for the parking, that’s a beginning.”
Since there are no paid staff at the mission, McLellan said all funds donated are put back into the charity and by extension, into the community.
“It’s time we take care of our own,” she said.
While she agrees that it’s important to give money to fund cancer research, McLellan said it’s also important to put money into programs that address the other needs associated with the disease.
“For every 50 cents you give to research, put 50 cents into the community where programs and services will be there when your loved ones are told they have cancer,” she said.
Since so much cancer treatment is now on an outpatient basis, McLellan said the support patients used to receive at hospital is no longer available.
“We have to rely on grassroots organizations,” she said. “If we can make the journey a little more bearable, then why can’t we allocate dollars to that?”
