Christine Whelan, FEO, June 11, 2026, Volume 7, Issue 20

Volunteers for this program will say they go into this experience with the intention of making an impact, only to find that an impact has been made on them. It truly is a win-win opportunity.

Wheels of Hope, provided by the Canadian Cancer Society, is a nationwide charity that began in Ontario in the 1970s and operates throughout Ontario, wherever volunteer drivers are available.

Mark Kahan, the program’s recruitment coordinator, says he started with the Cancer Society as a cancer survivor and, ten years ago, began volunteering as a driver.

Wheels of Hope: The Program

“There are several reasons why people would need Wheels of Hope,” Mark explained. “Most people shouldn’t drive their cars after their treatments. A lot of the time, they don’t have a car and don’t have family and friends close by to drive them. Some people have to go for radiation treatment. That could be up to six weeks, Monday to Friday, and that’s a lot to ask someone to take time off work to drive them. So, not only are we helping the person going through treatment, but we’re also helping the family out as well.”

Volunteer drivers are essential to the service.

“We want to make sure anyone in the community gets a ride to treatment, but we can only do that with support from the community.”

Big Need for Drivers

Kahan shared, “We had three Fort Erie drivers, but in the past few weeks we’ve lost two of them. They both moved, so we’re down to one Fort Erie driver. We need drivers for Fort Erie.” Kahan added, “Volunteers don’t have to be residents of Fort Erie. If someone is in the surrounding area, including the Niagara Region, we would love to have them volunteer.”

Most of the rides are to Niagara Falls or St. Catharines, with some to Welland, Hamilton or Grimsby.

Once they arrive, “We don’t expect people to wait at the hospital or cancer centre. They’re free to grab a coffee,” Mark explained. “It’s not required to provide a personal phone number for situations when they may finish earlier than expected, but it does make things a lot easier.”

“The great part of this volunteer experience is that the volunteer can decide when and where they are willing to drive. It’s totally up to them. They can pick which days.”

However, it is important that volunteers commit to at least six months. Wheels of Hope invests time and money in interviewing, conducting criminal record checks, and obtaining a driver’s abstract. “We’re very flexible with holidays and medical leaves. Snowbirds take the winter off. Sometimes people want to take the summer off, for example, to go golfing. We just want people to stick with us in the longer term.”

Gas and parking expenses are reimbursed. “We pay $.50 per km. This has just increased due to current gas prices. They can either take the cash monthly, or we give them a tax receipt in lieu of the cash.”

The volunteer’s insurance does not increase, and they don’t need a special type of vehicle insurance.

The Impact

“I always say, the magic happens in the vehicles.”

The clients will share stories about their own history and what’s going on in their lives. “There is some amazing conversations. You get to meet people from all walks of life. The rides can be very special.”

Mark said their clients provide ongoing feedback. “They tell us they don’t know what they would have done without the Wheels of Hope program, and whether they would have gone through with treatment without it. That’s something we never want to see happen.”

“We also hear from our volunteers that they get back so much more than they give. Thank you’s are endless.”

When Mark was a volunteer driver, he admitted he was humbled by how grateful everyone was to be driven by a stranger. “I thought my job was to take them and lift their spirits, but it was the other way around. My spirits were lifted.”

Kindness from drivers goes a long way. “I remember one volunteer driver telling me he was dropping off a woman and waited until she reached her door. She turned around and came back. She said, ‘I just wanted you to know that because of people like you, people like me are still alive.’ And I thought, wow, what a powerful thing.”

Friendships develop. Everyone gets a transportation coordinator. They can ask their coordinator to assign them to drive the client they’ve come to know.

“You’re giving the gifts of compassion and kindness to someone who may be going through the most difficult time of their life. The volunteers feel appreciated, and it’s incredibly heartwarming.”

If you love to drive and have a few weekdays in a month to spare, consider signing up. “You’ll be surprised how much you’ll enjoy it and how good it makes you feel.”

How to Volunteer

Mark says the onboarding process takes time, but they get their volunteers on the road as soon as possible. “We are transporting volunteers, so we’re thorough and do our due diligence.”

Volunteers must be willing to undergo a criminal record check, provide references, have a valid driver’s licence with a good driving record, have their own vehicle, and have the time.

Go to www.volunteercancer.ca, click the Wheels of Home program, and submit an application.

If this is not for you, do you know of anyone else who might be interested in driving for Wheels of Hope?

For any questions, email volunteer@cancer.ca