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For each cancer patient, the road to recovery is filled with challenges.

Challenges such as fear, pain and expense.

One challenge cancer patients should not have is transportation. However, the nation's current economic and fuel crises are taking a high toll on these people whose resources, not to mention their health, are already severely strained.

"We have a lot of situations where patients don't have the resources to get rides to and from treatment," explained Nicole Witten, mission delivery manager for the American Cancer Society in Greensboro.

"Being able to get to and from your treatment is very important and a lot of people today don't have transportation."

Take Donald, a patient undergoing daily radiation therapy at High Point Regional's Cancer Center. He and his wife get up extra early each day to wait for transportation from the county to take him to his 8 a.m. radiation therapy session.

Once at the Cancer Center, Donald's treatment takes only 15 minutes but leaves him bone tired. Donald, however, can't go home to rest for another four hours. That's when the over-burdened county transportation services are finally able to give him a ride.

The American Cancer Society hopes to add "Road to Recovery" to the growing number of services for cancer patients in the High Point area. "Road to Recovery" provides a corps of trained volunteer drivers to supply transportation for cancer patients who need rides to cancer treatments and doctors' appointments.

The program, which has enjoyed success across the country, matches patients who need transportation with volunteers in their service region. Patients simply call the Cancer Society and explain when and where they need rides. "Road to Recovery" then matches the needs with drivers.

But first, drivers are needed in and around High Point. Witten and the Cancer Society know it's tough to find folks who are willing to donate their time, their vehicles and their fuel, especially right now. "Gas prices are a heavy burden to everyone," Witten said.

But just imagine. If these issues are burdening those of us fortunate enough to enjoy good health, just think of what they are doing to cancer patients.

"Cancer patients have so many other things going on in their lives that they don't need anything else to worry about," Witten said. Getting to and from their treatment shouldn't be at the top of their list of concerns.

"High Point Regional has a great need for people to drive," Witten said. Some of those patients simply have no money for gas; others have no friends or family to provide rides. Others are just too sick to drive themselves.

Ideally, Witten would like to have a team of seven to 10 volunteers to launch the local "Road to Recovery" program. The entry requirements are simple. All applicants must be at least 21 years old, have automobile insurance, a safe driving record and a clean record. Each potential volunteer will be required to provide proof of insurance, a copy of his or her driver's license and be willing to undergo a background check.

The American Red Cross provides training not only on safe driving practices but on how to interact with each patient.

And just in case you wondered, drivers can deduct their volunteer miles when they file their income tax. The American Cancer Society provides drivers with its tax identification number.

If you would like to be a driver, please contact Nicole Witten at 834-0844.

Scare me

I have always been fascinated by ghost stories, séances, instances of the unexplainable. And I've had my share of spooky encounters. A house filled with disembodied footsteps and an invisible prankster. A séance where furniture rose from the floor and crackled and popped in answer to our questions. Warnings of impending doom. Today I respect paranormal activity enough to limit my interests to story collecting and story telling.

Tell me about your experiences with the unexplained and I'll share them with readers in time for Halloween. After all, who needs fiction when we so many of us encounter so many puzzling situations in our day-to-day lives? I promise to take your accounts seriously and to protect your privacy if you so desire.

Contact Cathy Weaver at cweavernr@gmail.com or 883-4422, Ext. 243.