Prisma Health Cancer Institute awarded $17,500 from American Cancer Society to support transportation for cancer patients

This grant is part of a $9 million nationwide initiative aimed at reducing barriers to care for people undergoing cancer treatment.

Prisma Health Cancer Institute has been awarded a $17,500 grant from the American Cancer Society to provide transportation assistance to patients during cancer treatment.

The funding is part of a $9 million nationwide investment by the American Cancer Society that is expected to support nearly 63,000 eligible patients with approximately 800,000 transportation and lodging services.

The grant will help ensure that more patients can access timely care without transportation challenges interrupting their treatment plans. Patients work with Prisma Health navigators, social workers and outreach coordinators to receive funding to support transportation for their treatment.

“The ACS transportation grant has been a lifeline for our cancer patients to get to their treatments and cancer appointments,” said Dr. Joe Stephenson, medical director of the Center for Integrative Oncology and Survivorship and co-director of the Breast Program. “It’s one less thing our patients and their families have to worry about when they are trying to manage so much. For those that need help, it also means not having to choose between treatments and basic needs. The financial relief and stress lifted by this grant brought real hope during possibly one of the toughest times in their lives.”

Access to high-quality cancer treatment significantly impacts outcomes. A 2023 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that delayed care due to lack of transportation is associated with increased emergency room use and higher mortality risk among adults, with or without a cancer history.

Prisma Health Cancer Institute is one of the largest cancer care providers in the Southeast, offering comprehensive cancer services from prevention and screening to advanced treatment, survivorship, and clinical trials. With locations across South Carolina, the Institute is committed to advancing equitable access to care and improving outcomes for all patients.

“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 American Cancer Society also supports patients through its Road to Recovery program, which provides free rides to and from treatment, and more than 30 Hope Lodge communities that offer free lodging during treatment.

About Prisma Health

Prisma Health is a private nonprofit health company with over 32,000 team members, 19 acute and specialty hospitals, 3,131 licensed beds, 320 practice sites, and more than 5,900 employed and independent clinicians across its clinically integrated inVio Health Network. Along with this innovative network, Prisma Health serves more than 1.6 million unique patients annually in its South Carolina and Tennessee service areas. Connect with Prisma Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter/X. Visit PrismaHealth.org.