Atrium Health receives grant to provide transportation for cancer patients

Atrium Health has received funding to help provide transportation for patients receiving cancer treatment.

The American Cancer Society has awarded a total of $95,000 in grants that will benefit patients at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s Comprehensive Cancer Center in Winston-Salem, as well as the organization’s Levine Cancer and Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.

The funding will allow Atrium Health to distribute assistance to patients experiencing transportation challenges. That assistance can include access to gas cards, bus passes, and ride-share services.

An American Cancer Society study shows that cancer patients who were faced with delays due to a lack of transportation were more likely to find care in emergency departments. They also had the highest risk of cancer-specific mortality.

One American Cancer Society official says that not having access to treatment because of where you live contributes to disparities in cancer outcomes.