IMMEDIATE APPEAL FROM THE ISRAEL LEMONADE FUND:
The Coronavirus has created new and potentially expensive challenges for patients travelling to their chemotherapy/radiation treatments. They are immunocompromised, and they are being warned not to take public buses and trains.
“The early data from China, and reports from the ground in Italy and other sites of local transmission is that our cancer patients are going to be at increased risk,” said Dr. Steve Pergam, a clinical and infectious disease researcher at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in Seattle, Washington.
Pergam said people currently in treatment, if at all possible, should avoid taking public buses or trains. But he also acknowledged not every patient can afford private car services or taxis. “Talk to your care team about what options exist to support you getting there without taking public transportation,” Pergam said.
Most indigent Israeli breast cancer patients can at most, only afford public transportation; many do not own cars. Our social workers at Breast Centers are reporting high levels of anxiety in their patients regarding this issue.
We are launching an urgent appeal to help patients take taxis, so that they will not miss their treatments during this difficult time. (For the average breast cancer patient: Radiation – 25 sessions. Chemotherapy – 12-24 sessions.)
Average Israeli intra-city taxi fee: NIS 50 ($15)
Common Israeli inter-city taxi fee: NIS 180 ($50)
Please donate taxi rides, (one or more,) or any amount that you can. Monies donated that are earmarked, ‘TRANSPORT’ will go specifically for this request. (Any leftover funds from this appeal will go towards regular transportation grants during, hopefully, better times.)
Tax deductible in US, Israel, Canada, UK and Australia.