Ken Ornstein, 73, lives in Borehamwood with his partner. Finding himself with some spare time on his hands after retiring from his office catering business, he started volunteering as a driver for Chai Cancer Care around 12 years ago.
Volunteer drivers are increasingly in demand as the costs associated with a cancer diagnosis continue to rise. According to the BBC, families often pay around £250 per month to fund hospital journeys.
1. Why did you first get involved with Chai Cancer Care?
Around 14 years ago, my mother passed away from cancer, and that made me and the family donate to Chai in appreciation of the work that they do – even though my mother didn’t use Chai’s services at the time. Chai invited us to the facility to explain what they do, and walking into the place felt so welcoming that I asked if they needed any volunteers, and they did. Doing the driving fitted in with my change in lifestyle as I had recently retired.
2. Tell me about the bonds you develop with the patients.
The journeys can be anything from ten to 45 minutes, and in the tiny space of the car, you get to know about people: their lives, their families, and what they’re going through. They’re also all sorts of ages. You often associate cancer with old people, but it’s not just them who are affected. With Chai, I have also become a befriender. Some of these bonds have happy endings and some of them have very unhappy endings. I often say: “This is lovely, but I wish we could have met in better circumstances.”
3. Do you have any journeys over the last 12 years which stick out in your mind?
Near the beginning of my time with Chai, I remember a young man, originally from Venezuela, with a wife and young twins. It was so moving talking with him about his life and his children in the short time that I knew him. I also remember a nice lady who was originally from Israel, and I knew all about her grandkids, and we had such nice conversations on our journeys. There are so many stories – I meet people who come from all over the world.
4. Why is it important to volunteer your time like this for Chai?
A lot of the people aren’t able to drive anymore, so they’ve lost that freedom, and it’s so welcoming for them that they have a friendly face to come and collect them. One thing I always hear is that people are so appreciative of the services that Chai offers. Demand for drivers has increased in the last few years as the hardship and cost of getting to appointments gets bigger. Some wouldn’t be able to travel to their appointments without it. Public transport is difficult logistically, never mind with patients’ health. And taxis are so expensive, and you don’t want to always rely on family or friends to drive you.
5. What would you say to people who want to get involved with volunteering but are unsure of what to do?
Just find out what it’s all about. Chai will always appreciate any volunteering help. The thing with being a volunteer driver is that you can give as little or as much of your time per week, depending on how busy you are. This works so well for me as I don’t have a specific time each week. We get emails of what is required, and I can fit it around my plans. It truly works both ways because I find it an honour to drive Chai’s clients.
To find out more about volunteering for the charity Chai Cancer Care as either a driver or in another capacity, visit chaicancercare.org or click here
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