The Canadian Cancer Society has several programs to help aid B.C. cancer patients by making their treatment more accessible, affordable and easier to navigate.
One program is the Cancer Travel and Accommodation Services (CTAAS) program. It helps cancer patients access funding to get to treatment, gives them a place to stay during treatment and eases the process of obtaining treatment outside of a patient’s community.
“The Cancer Travel and Accommodation Service started in 2023. It provides travel grants for people who have to travel out of their home communities for cancer treatments," said Carolyn Knox, senior director of access to care. “It also includes our lodges, which we have four of in the province: Victoria, Prince George, Kelowna and Vancouver.”
The funding for the travel program comes from the Ministry of Health. The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) put in a proposal and the B.C. government funds this program for the society. The CCS distributes the funds based on individual needs.
“The travel treatment fund, which is our grant program that gives people direct payments for their own travel and it’s based on income and how far away from a cancer centre they are,” said Knox.
Comox Valley resident Peter, who asked that his last name not be used, utilized the CCS’s Cancer Travel and Accommodations Service in Victoria for the treatment of his throat cancer. He spent seven-and-a-half weeks at the Vancouver Island Lodge.
“I can’t say enough about the lodge. The staff was great. The food was super great - when you felt like eating,” said Peter. “They treated us very well and were very friendly.”
“They get free accommodation and meals at our lodges and we also have shuttles that take them back and forth from the lodges to their treatment during their stay,” said Knox.
Peter stated that many patients find ways to give back to the dedicated and helpful staff and that the program was easy to navigate.
“I had to send a form signed by my oncologist with details of where I lived and where I went and how long the treatment was,” shared Peter.
Peter is currently recovering from his treatment and the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. When asked how he was currently feeling after treatment, he stated that he was “better today than yesterday,” acknowledging that the side effects can linger for about two weeks after completion.
For more information about the CCS's Cancer Travel and Accommodations Service, visit: cancer.ca/en/living-with-cancer/how-we-can-help/cancer-travel-and-accommodation-services-bc.
