Grant helps Veterans get to cancer treatments at the Milwaukee VA

Folsom, who never married, has no children and lives on his own, has nieces and nephews who sometimes help with transportation. But he said he doesn’t want to be a burden. 

“I don’t want to bother them. I can’t be asking them to take time off from work all the time. I go up there (to the Milwaukee VA) a lot.”

But transportation costs can add up quickly for the U.S. Navy Veteran who lives in Sturtevant. After being diagnosed with tongue cancer four years ago, his treatments required 35 trips to and from the hospital.

But earlier this year, after being diagnosed with lung cancer, Folsom received free transportation for his treatments, thanks to a grant from the American Cancer Society.

“It has helped me financially,” Folsom said.

Specifically for Veterans

The grant, for $5,000, is specifically marked to help Veterans get to and from cancer treatments. It is part of a nationwide investment of $9 million that was expected to provide nearly 63,000 eligible patients with nearly 800,000 transportation and lodging services, according to the American Cancer Society.

“Transportation obstacles or the cost of a hotel room should not be barriers that determine the survival of those needing cancer treatment,” said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society. “Partnering with health systems and organizations across the country to provide funding to deliver the direct assistance needed helps to fill these equity gaps and improves cancer outcomes.”

The grant is a first for the Milwaukee VA and was applied for by Dr. Elizabeth Hansen, clinical pharmacist program manager in oncology for VISN 12, and Dr. Sumana Devata, chief of Hematology and Oncology at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. 

After being notified that the Milwaukee VA would receive the money, Hansen began working with oncology social worker Jordon Drohner and Mobility Manager Rob Wareham to identify patients who would most benefit from the grant.

Overcoming transportation barriers

Drohner said there are numerous Veterans who don’t have family or friends to drive them to and from the treatments. And there are some Veterans who could drive themselves to treatments but would be too weak afterward to drive back home.

“They have no other means of getting here, and it’s a logistical nightmare as well as a financial burden to them,” he said.

Wareham said cost and logistics are often a barrier for Veterans to get their care, and the grant helped lessen some of those barriers.

“You cannot risk interrupting their care,” he said. “The goal is to have their transportation uninterrupted for the days they need it.”

Strategic use of funds

So Wareham and his team deployed the grant money strategically to get the most benefit.

That meant a mix of contracted transportation services and volunteer drivers. Wareham said only once did a Veteran have to rely on family for transportation, and that was due to a scheduling error.

“(Wareham) was able to elongate the use of the grant,” Drohner said. “He would look to see if there were any DAV volunteers or other resources that we have that are free for our Veterans. Only if there was absolutely no other path forward … would we actually touch the funds. The use of the funds was handled very well due to Rob.”

Since being received last spring, the grant has helped five Veterans pay for dozens of rides to the hospital for their cancer care.

“Some of these people would not have gotten to all their appointments (without the grant),” Wareham said, noting that no Veterans served by the grant have missed their appointments. 

Removing financial burden

All too often, Wareham said, transportation problems will stop a Veteran from getting needed health care.

“There are a lot of Veterans who will just sit on their couch … because they don’t have good transportation to get them when and where they need to be when they’re sick. 

“This (grant) takes that burden off. They don’t have to think about the financial aspect, which helps with the mental aspect as well. They know they’re going to get home safe.”

Drohner agreed.

“This has been an incredible resource to our patients,” he said. “It’s serving Veterans by meeting them where they are at. When you have a diagnosis of cancer and you need treatment, the last thing you want to worry about is, ‘How am I going to get there?’ That gives peace of mind to a lot of our patients.”

Hansen said the grant helps with the overall goal of improving access to cancer care.

“Hopefully we can expand this to other sites moving forward,” she said, noting the Milwaukee VA has been approved to apply again for the next grant cycle. “Hopefully we’ll get some additional funding next year.”