Meet the Cork farmers who volunteer as drivers for cancer patients
Two Cork dairy farmers have shared their experiences as volunteer drivers for Cancer Connect - the Cork-based charity hailed as a "magic idea" for providing free transport to hospitals for patients receiving cancer treatment.
Marguerite Crowley and Julieanne Fitzpatrick both juggle the demands of full-time dairy farming alongside their voluntary commitments, which consist of driving patients in need of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and related treatments to their hospital appointments in Cork city.
The women volunteer for Cancer Connect at least once a month, and have done so for the last number of years, each motivated by their own individual reasons for joining the charity.
Fitzpatrick, who milks a pedigree Fleckviah herd on her farm in Drinagh, west Cork, started volunteering for the charity back in January 2022 after her stock was depopulated with TB.
Fitzpatrick said: "I had been depopulated with TB at the start of 2022 and that's when I started driving for Cancer Connect. I had always wanted to do it and I just said then that this was my chance, but I didn't stop when I restocked because I just loved doing it.
"It's a magic idea, really, because it's just one less thing for that person to worry about and there's no family that hasn't been affected by cancer, myself included. Just last March, I buried two very good friends with cancer within a week of each other."
Crowley, who manages over 200 cows alongside her husband and son on their farm in Bauravila, outside Skibbereen, on top of her charity endeavours, was inspired to volunteer after her own father benefitted from the charity's services.
She explained: "My dad used the Cancer Connect minibus service for about a year when he was getting radiation treatment for prostate cancer, and he was delighted with it.
"He always said that when he got better, he would return the favour and volunteer.
"Sadly, he never got better. He passed away in March three years ago from lung cancer. So I agreed, once my kids got a bit bigger, I'd drive and repay dad's debt in his memory instead. I have been driving now since June 2022."
The farmers maintained that the charity is very accommodating to volunteers with exacting schedules like their own, as they are granted the additional flexibility of deciding for themselves how often they can commit to the charity every month.
According to the volunteers, all that's required from Cancer Connect is a driver's licence and time - ideally, the ability to undertake one trip to and from a hospital per month.
For those who do not own a car, the charity provides its own mini bus in its place.
"It's probably a day in the month, maybe two if they were very busy, but that's rare. You always get about a week's notice too, but if you had something already pencilled in for that time, there's no issue changing it. More often than not though, I can accommodate," Fitzpatrick said.
"That's one of the advantages of dairy farming, I suppose, you are a little bit more flexible than your average nine to five," she added.
Crowley chimed in: "Some people are very good and they'll give their whole day to the charity, but [Cancer Connect] know that I'm caught with milking. We milk at six in the morning and again at half three every evening, so I'd collect most of my clients at eight or nine in the morning.
"The majority of the time, I'm home by lunchtime, so it actually fits really well with my routine. I don't think I've ever had to miss an evening milking because of it.
"I always take February and March off too for spring calving, but I'd make up for that in the summer when it's a bit quieter," she added.
The Cork natives explained that, in most cases, they are paired up with a patient located relatively close by, with round trips varying from as little as an hour for consultations, to five or six hours for scheduled cancer treatments.
Over their collective six years of voluntary service, Fitzpatrick and Crowley have provided lifts to people from all walks of life, explaining that people avail of the service for a myriad of reasons.
"Anyone can use Cancer Connect - you just never know when you might need it. I've driven the young and the old, and a lot of them would have families but it's just not practical for them to drive their relative up and down to Cork city five days a week," Crowley said.
That's where Cancer Connect comes in.
"It's a small act in practice but the patient doesn't have to worry about parking or driving home after treatment if they are feeling unwell," Fitzpatrick added.
Both woman were in agreement in relation to the benefits that come with volunteering as a driver for Cancer Connect, including the inimitable feeling gained and the lasting impact that some of the patients have had on them over the years.
They urge anyone with the time to spare to consider becoming a new recruit,
"It's just a great feeling and it's not costing me anything - only a few hours out of the day. It also makes me grateful to have my good health.
"When you meet lovely people who, sometimes, are very sick and have a poor prognosis, they always seem to look on the bright side and don't ever seem to feel sorry for themselves," Crowley expressed.
"Farming can be 24/7, so this offers a little break from the madness and you're helping somebody as well. It's one of my favourite things to do and it's just a fantastic charity, I can't speak highly enough of it," Fitzpatrick added.
