We at CarePlus Pharmacy are delighted to announce our fundraising drive with the Irish Cancer Society for Christmas 2019. Our CarePlus Pharmacists and their teams across the network have pledged to come together this December to support the Irish Cancer Society’s inspirational Volunteer Driver Service.
More than 5,800 patients have used this scheme since it was set up in 2008, with volunteer drivers bringing them to and from 82,000 chemotherapy appointments in hospitals around the country. The Irish Cancer Society looks after recruitment, training and reference checking, while the volunteers also undergo Garda vetting.
The Volunteer Driver Service is free for patients and is funded through the Irish Cancer Society’s fundraising and donations. To help boost the scheme this Christmas, our CarePlus Pharmacists and staff will be raising awareness for patients and volunteers in their communities.
CarePlus Pharmacies are also collecting customer donations to raise much needed funds to support Irish Cancer Society initiatives through in-store activities. The highlight of the fundraising campaign will be a Christmas Jumper Drive in all CarePlus stores on Saturday 7th December, where staff will be decked out in festive gear and hosting activities such as bake sales and Santa visits.
GP and regular TV contributor, Dr Sinead Beirne, says she has seen the benefits of the Volunteer Driver Service among her patients: “The Volunteer Driver Service is such a practical idea that takes a lot of worry away from the patient when it comes to the arrangements for what can be difficult days in hospital. To know they have someone providing a door-to-door service can be a real weight off their shoulders. I’m thrilled to be part of the CarePlus Pharmacy campaign to help raise funds for this brilliant scheme”.
Kildare woman Mary McAndrew has been using the Volunteer Driver Service every month for nearly three years: “The drivers and the support staff are angels of mercy. They make you feel like you’re the only person they’re looking after and it means so much to know that they’re with you on your cancer journey. In all this time, they’ve never once told me they can’t make my appointment and it means the world to me. Whoever came up with this is a true hero!”
Please pop in to your local CarePlus Pharmacy and show your support for the Irish Cancer Society this Christmas and pop on to the Irish Cancer Society website for more information about the Volunteer Driver Service and how to become a part of it.
