10/19/2026 — A cancer diagnosis can change a person's life in an instant — but for some patients, getting to treatment presents its own challenge.
For Lynn Curry, a prostate cancer patient, getting to his radiation treatments wasn't always easy. Curry has a moped, but worried about riding it through traffic. Living on Social Security, the cost of gas was another concern.
"I didn't know about it until we did research because, you know, I heard that there are people that will take you, and I couldn't afford the gas. I'm on Social Security and it was kind of tough on me," Curry said.
Curry's family reached out to the American Cancer Society and learned about its Road to Recovery program, which provides free rides to cancer-related medical appointments for people facing all types of cancer.
The program connected Curry with Jan, a volunteer driver who now takes him to his appointments and brings him home.
"Oh, it's great. I love it because otherwise I'd have to take my scooter and that's pretty dangerous because it's a little moped. And she's been great, you know, very comfortable ride, and she gets me there on time and waits for me and takes me back home," Curry said.
For Curry, the program has taken away the worry of how he'll get to treatment — and along the way, he's gained more than just a ride.
"Actually, she's a good friend now. We seem to have gotten to know each other pretty well, so it's a good conversation on the way and back, and it's been a blessing," Curry said.
For Jan, the decision to volunteer started with another cancer patient she met in Kingsville while the woman was waiting for public transportation to take her to Corpus Christi for chemotherapy. That trip could take 10 to 12 hours out of her day.
"Some people cannot miss their appointments. It, you know, throws their whole regimen off of their treatment," Jan said.
That experience stayed with Jan. She says Road to Recovery allows volunteers to choose rides that fit their schedules, so they can help patients without committing to a set number of hours. But Jan says more volunteers are needed in the Corpus Christi area.
"It's just so prevalent. And here in Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Bishop, everywhere, we just really hurting for volunteer drivers to pick people up," Jan said.
Jan says volunteering is worth it — and that getting started requires just a few simple steps.
"It's very easy to do. You just have to have a background check and read a little manual online and answer a few questions and make sure this is right for you, but it's very simple and, and very, very rewarding," Jan said.
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Road to Recovery is one way to support people facing cancer of any kind. To learn more about becoming a volunteer driver, visit cancer.org/drive.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
