>>> THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY PROVIDES FREE TRANSPORTATION TO
AND FROM TREATMENTS FOR CANCER PATIENTS UNDER ITS ROAD TO
RECOVERY PROJECT. TRAINED VOLUNTEER DRIVERS DONATE
THEIR TIME AND THE USE OF THEIR PERSONAL VEHICLES TO MAKE IT
POSSIBLE FOR PATIENTS TO GET THE HELP THEY NEED TO SURVIVE.
"CONNECTING POINT" CORRESPONDENT CAROLEE MCGRATH SPOKE WITH
VOLUNTEER DRIVER AL PARROW TO FIND OUT WHY HE'S PART THIS
EFFORT AND WHAT IT MEANS TO HIM TO LEND A HAND.
>> THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER ALL THEIR TIME, PAY
FOR THEIR OWN GAS, PAY FOR THEIR OWN INSURANCE AND THEY GIVE
THESE PEOPLE -- A LOT OF THEM DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO GIVE THEM A
RIDE FOR THEIR CHEMO OR RADIATION.
>> SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DRIVERS ARE PAYING FOR THEIR OWN
GAS. >> RIGHT.
>> AND THEIR OWN -- >> WE GET NO COMPENSATION AT
ALL. IT'S ALL UP TO US, EVERYTHING
IS. >> TELL ME HOW DID YOU GET
INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM? >> I RETIRED FROM WORK AND AFTER
A YEAR, WHICH IS GREAT HAVING TIME OFF, I GOT BORED.
AND THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER SAYING THERE WAS GOING TO
BE A THING IN HOLYOKE, THEY NEED DRIVERS.
AND I WENT AND THAT'S 4 ½ YEARS AGO.
THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT. >> DO YOU LOVE IT?
>> I LOVE DOING IT. THERE'S NOT ONE PATIENT THAT HAS
NEVER SAID THANK YOU. EVERY RIDE, YOU COULD HAVE HAD
THIS PERSON FIVE DAYS A WEEK AND THEY'LL STILL SAY THANK YOU.
>> WHAT'S THE TIME COMMITMENT FOR VOLUNTEERS?
>> YOU CAN DO ONE DAY A MONTH IF YOU WANT.
WE'LL TAKE ANYBODY THAT CAN DO ANYTHING.
I'VE DRIVEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK. I KNOW OTHER DRIVERS HAVE, ALSO.
BUT THEY WILL TAKE ONE -- THEY'LL TAKE ANYTHING.
ANYTHING. AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT TO DO
IT BUT IT'S VERY FULFILLING. IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD WHEN YOU
GET DONE. >> TELL ME ABOUT THE SITUATIONS
THAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE ARE IN THAT YOU'RE DRIVING.
>> I HAVE A LADY THAT THANK GOD SHE'S IN REMISSION BUT I WAS
DRIVING HER FOR CHEMOTHERAPY, AND NOW, SHE JUST GOES TO THE
DOCTOR'S. SHE LITERALLY HAS NO ONE.
HER HUSBAND WAS AN ONLY CHILD, SHE WAS AN ONLY CHILD, THEY
NEVER HAD CHILDREN. WHEN HER HUSBAND PASSED AWAY,
SHE SOLD HER HOUSE AND MOVED INTO AN ELDERLY PROJECT, LIKE,
AND WITH HER FRIENDS, HER FRIENDS HAVE ALL PASSED AWAY AND
SHE CAN'T DRIVE BECAUSE SHE'S GOT A BAD LEG.
SO WITHOUT ACS, THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO CALL HER A CAB OR PBTA.
AND THE PERSONAL TOUCH ISN'T THERE WHEN THEY DO THAT, BECAUSE
THESE PATIENTS TALK TO ME, A LOT OF THEM ARE LONELY.
THEY WANT SOMEONE TO TALK TO AND I HEAR A LOT!
>> AND THAT HAS TO BE PART OF IT, AS WELL.
YOU THINK ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO IS BATTLING CANCER, IT'S
HEART-BREAKING ENOUGH BUT THEN TO THINK THEY'RE BATTLING THIS
ALONE. I MEAN, YOU PLAY QUITE A ROLE IN
THEIR LIFE. WHAT KIND OF CONVERSATIONS ARE
YOU HAVING? >> I HEAR THINGS THAT EVEN THEIR
FAMILY MEMBERS DON'T KNOW. AND THEY'LL JUST TALK ABOUT
ANYTHING. THEY'LL ASK ME LIKE YOU DID, WHY
DO YOU DO THIS? AND I ALWAYS SAY IF I HAD A
FAMILY MEMBER WHO GOT CANCER AND NEEDED A RIDE, I HOPE SOMEBODY
WOULD STEP IN THE WAY I AM. THAT'S THE REASON I DO IT.
>> THEY MUST TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED DURING THEIR TREATMENT,
HOW THEY'RE FEELING. YOU MUST HEAR A LOT.
>> I HAD A PATIENT FOR A WHILE AND SHE WAS THERE AGAIN, SHE WAS
ALONE, WE WERE DRIVING IN CONVERSATION, I I FOUND OUT SHE
LIKES TO PLAY CRIBBAGE. SO DO I.
WE GO DOWN TO THE CENTER FOR HER CHEMOTHERAPY, I WOULD GO UP WITH
HER AND WE WOULD PLAY CRIBBAGE FOR TWO OR THREE HOURS AND THE
WHOLE GROUP UP THERE THOUGHT WE WERE MARRIED!
AND WE WEREN'T. BECAUSE WE WOULD BANTER BACK AND
FORTH. IT WAS GREAT.
AND MARSHA APPRECIATED IT. SHE REALLY DID.
>> AND YOU PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT NEEDED CONVERSATION AND
PERSONAL TOUCH. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S 73
PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE DRIVEN SINCE JANUARY, 1,200 RIDES.
>> THAT'S HERE IN WESTERN MASS. >> DO YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN YOUR
FAMILY WHO HAVE BATTLED CANCER AS WELL?
>> YES, I'VE LOST MY BROTHER, MY SISTER-IN-LAW AND TWO NIECES.
>> ARE THEY YOUR INSPIRATION? >> SHE WAS 48.
SO OH, YEAH. IT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY I DO IT.
MY SISTER KEEPS SAYING LISA WOULD BE SO PROUD OF YOU.
SO SHE WAS MY FAVORITE. OF 19, SHE WAS MY FAVORITE!
>> SO YOU DO IT IN HER HONOR. >> YEP.
>> HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER?
>> IF YOU WANT TO FEEL WANTED, THIS IS THE WAY TO GO.
ANY KIND OF VOLUNTEERISM IS GREAT, FOR THE AMERICAN CANCER,
EVERYBODY SAYS THANK YOU, EVEN ACS SAYS THANK YOU TO YOU.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT. THOSE TWO WORDS GO A LONG WAY.
>> THEY GO A LONG WAY FOR YOU? >> OH, YEAH.
>> SO GIVE US THE NUMBER. WE WANT PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER, WHO
DO THEY CALL? DO I HAVE THAT RIGHT?
WELL, AL PARROW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND SHARING
WITH US THIS GREAT PROGRAM AND THE BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR EVEN HAVING US SO WE CAN TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT
IT. >> THANK YOU, AL.
>> THANKS. >> ALL RIGHT.