‘It just makes me feel good’: Wheels of Hope volunteer connecting cancer patients to care

WELLINGTON NORTH – Karen Drabyk says she has “the best” recipes and gardening tips.

People riding in her passenger seat always dish their secrets on the way to Fergus, Guelph, Kitchener or Toronto.

She’s always up-to-date on the latest sports scores and she has picked up some know-how on farming too.

The people she’s driving want to talk about anything other than where they’re heading, Drabyk said.

Radiation and chemotherapy treatments aren’t easy, nor are the tests and trials farther away.

“They’ve gone through the shock, there’s a treatment plan ahead and it’s just life for them,” Drabyk said.

The relationships Drabyk develops with the patients she drives for Wheels of Hope are formed around the comforting normalcy of everyday life.

When she retired two years ago from a career working at home in remote software support, the Arthur resident was looking for a way to get out of the house and stay connected to her community.

Wheels of Hope, a Canadian Cancer Society service providing rides to appointments for people with cancer diagnoses, was in need of volunteer drivers.

“I had family and friends in the past that were touched by cancer,” Drabyk said.

After a police check and some online courses, Drabyk embarked on her first trip in December 2023.

“It’s such a great program, it helps them (patients) so much financially,” she said.

Someone with a cancer diagnosis pays $100 per year to access the volunteer-driven service.

Drabyk recalled her first trip with a Guelph couple heading to Toronto who told her they paid $400 for a private transportation service to Mount Sinai Hospital before accessing Wheels of Hope.

“That is heartbreaking to think that they spent $400 on a single trip,” Drabyk said.

For more than two years, Drabyk has driven for an average of three days per week, sometimes picking up more trips when the inevitable emails about uncovered rides come in.

Wheels of Hope has faced difficulty getting new volunteers since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Volunteer recruiter Mark Kahan said the struggle to get new drivers continues. There were 41 drivers throughout Wellington County on the 2025 roster, but trips are still going uncovered.

“If someone can’t find a ride they don’t go,” Kahan said, adding, “it happens everywhere.”

“It’s not just this area that needs more drivers, it’s everywhere,” Drabyk echoed.

Her reward comes from seeing people relax when they enter her car, knowing everything is looked after, from pickup to drop-off.

“I’m a people person … it just makes me feel good,” Drabyk said. “I enjoy getting out and helping people.”

Drivers can be as open or choosy about their time and the trips as they want. Wheels of Hope reimburses its volunteers for mileage. For more information visit volunteercancer.ca.

Volunteering, Drabyk said, is an act of kindness and generosity that keeps people connected and builds community.

“Instead of money, time and talent,” she said. 

“Look at your talents; you may not have funds to support an organization, but I give of my time. “Try and look for opportunities to help out your community.”