The American Cancer Society Awards $8,000 to Lutheran Hospital Cancer Resource Center to Provide Transportation to Patients During Cancer Treatment
3/11/2025
The American Cancer Society recently awarded $8,000 to Lutheran Hospital Cancer Resource Center to provide transportation assistance to people with cancer during treatment. The grant is part of a nationwide investment of $9 million that is expected to provide nearly 63,000 eligible patients with nearly 800,000 transportation and lodging services.
“The funding provided by the American Cancer Society goes directly to patients receiving cancer treatments at Lutheran Comprehensive Cancer Center. Many patients live more than 20 miles from the cancer center and benefit from receiving gas cards from our partners at Lassus to assist with the cost of gas to get to treatments,” said Robin Fry, a registered nurse at the Cancer Resource Center at Lutheran Hospital.
Access to high-quality cancer treatment impacts cancer outcomes. A lack of transportation and lodging needed to receive quality care can lead to missed appointments, treatment interruptions and delays in follow-up care. In a 2023 Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) study, American Cancer Society researchers found that delayed care due to lack of transportation is associated with increased emergency room use and mortality risk among adults with and without cancer history.
“Transportation obstacles or the cost of a hotel room should not be barriers that determine the survival of those needing cancer treatment,” said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society. “Partnering with health systems and organizations across the country to provide funding to deliver the direct assistance needed helps to fill these equity gaps and improves cancer outcomes."
Serving the community since 1904, Lutheran Hospital is a 396-bed tertiary care facility that provides healthcare services to patients in Fort Wayne and throughout northeastern Indiana and northwestern Ohio. Accredited by The Joint Commission and part of Lutheran Health Network, we are dedicated to providing compassionate, quality care with the best possible experience to every patient, every time, and to making a positive impact on our community.
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