Travel support for rural Vermont cancer patients

Each year hundreds of rural Vermont cancer patients struggle with the cost of transportation to access life-saving treatment. This year, with the rising cost of gas, many Vermonters delayed treatment simply due to their inability to afford the transportation to get to the hospital.

For the second year, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union stepped in to address this rising issue. In 2021, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union and the Cancer Patient Support Foundation partnered to create the NorthCountry Federal Credit Union Rural Transportation Fund. This year NorthCountry Federal Credit Union awarded $15,000, double their donation from 2021, to support rural Vermont cancer patients.

Courtesy photo From left, Sarah Lemnah, Cancer Patient Support Foundation executive director receives a check from Kathryn Lagerstedt of NorthCountry Federal Credit Union.
Courtesy photo. From left, Sarah Lemnah, Cancer Patient Support Foundation executive director receives a check from Kathryn Lagerstedt of NorthCountry Federal Credit Union.

“Part of bettering our communities is bettering the lives of those who live within them,” says Kathryn Lagerstedt, senior vice president of strategic engagement at NorthCountry Federal Credit Union. “This donation is an extension of the notion that no one fights alone, and we hope this fund can offer some relief to patients during a difficult time.

“The most heartbreaking stories that I hear are patients saying they delayed treatment because the cost of traveling back and forth to the hospital was too great,” said Sarah Lemnah, executive director of Cancer Patient Support Foundation. “The NorthCountry Federal Credit Union Rural Transportation Fund allows the Cancer Patient Support Foundation to better support rural Vermonters, so transportation is not a hurdle for treatment.”

The Cancer Patient Support Foundation supports over 500 local cancer patients each year, removing barriers to treatment and helping them meet their basic needs. For 20 years, Cancer Patient Support Foundation has been the only local statewide fund supporting patients and their families. Nearly 11,000 families have received over $2.8 million since the organization’s inception. Each year nearly $160,000 is awarded.

Here is more information on how you can support Vermont cancer patients.