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Cancer Center Provides Rides, Camaraderie

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 17, 2008

BRANDON - Four years ago, when one of her five cancer treatment centers had to close for a month while new equipment was installed, physician Kathryn Kepes, founder and chief executive officer of The Center for Radiation Oncology, started a free patient transport program.

To help patients put out by the closure, Kepes bought a van and hired a driver to take people with hardships to and from their appointments at her other treatment centers.

Today the facility has a mini-fleet of three vans that operate full time five days a week. Kepes said her drivers are more like volunteers than employees, but she insists on paying them a nominal fee for their efforts.

Maria Appel, director of nursing and driver route organizer, said many patients who use the free service form kinships as they share daily rides for the duration of their treatments, which can last more than eight weeks.

"They get to know everything about each other and form these little support groups on their own," Appel said. "They exchange numbers and even make arrangements to start their follow-up treatments at the same time so they can ride together."

The camaraderie is also common among patients who drive themselves to treatments.

"People will show up an hour early for their appointment in Brandon to have coffee, do puzzles and just chat," Appel said.

In her rearview mirror, driver Sherrie Nasworthy sees unlikely friendships form among people from diverse walks of life.

"I've picked up rich ladies on Bayshore and then drove them to pick up other people in some really rough neighborhoods they had never even seen before," Nasworthy said. "And it was amazing - everyone bonded. Cancer isn't prejudiced."

Laura Frazier

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