The Shirley Shuttle Cancer Patient Transport Service could face withdrawing one of its four vehicles from service or increasing client costs with vital funding possibly to be withdrawn.
Financial support of up to $25,000 a year from Central Coast Local Health District will run out in 2025.
CCLHD has covered the cost of fuel cards for each of the service’s vehicles since 2008, when The Shirley Shuttle was founded by Barb Galvin in memory of her mother Shirley Galvin, who died of cancer in 2006.
Galvin kicked off the service with the donation of $50,000 for its first vehicle, a Toyota Minibus.
Since then the service has been expanded to include four sedan vehicles, administered by Community Transport Central Coast in conjunction with Coast Connects Operations.
They provide very low-cost access for transport-challenged Central Coast residents to attend oncology treatment centres within the Central Coast region at $10 per trip.
There is no means test, and if a client claims lack of finances there is no cost.
Vehicle replacement costs are met every two years or so via the generosity of the Central Coast community, and running costs are hopefully covered each year by client contributions.
The Shirley Shuttle currently delivers 380-400 trips per month thanks to 35 volunteer drivers, but the demand exceeds 1,250 trip requests each month.
“Shirley Shuttle, in my opinion and according to my research, is one of a kind in Australia providing affordable transport to and from potentially life-saving oncology treatments,” Galvin said.
“I believe it would be a disgrace for our Local Health District to divorce itself from funding fuel cards.”
But a Central Coast Local Health District spokesperson said current funding would continue to provide fuel cards for the next 18 months.
“Central Coast Local Health District values the Shirley Shuttle and is keen to continue support for the service that provides low-cost community transport to local cancer patients who have difficulty getting to treatments,” the spokesperson said.
“The District is already investigating the future funding options to continue the service once the existing funding ends in mid-2025.”
The matter will be on the agenda at a public forum to be held from 10-11.30am on Sunday, February 4, in the showroom at Mingara Recreation Club.
The forum will also ask for answers from local MPs on what is happening regarding a palliative care unit for Wyong Hospital.