Share the Spotlight
Sara Schulz — Abbotsford resident
Sara Schulz’s first drive for Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society came just after a major snowstorm. The roads had mostly been cleared, but her car got stuck on the way to pick up a patient. A nearby farmer helped her out, and Sara got the patient to his appointment on time.
“I’m glad I went,” she remembers thinking afterward. “I can do this.”
Sara began driving with VCDS in December 2022, looking for a meaningful way to volunteer. As a cancer survivor, she understood what a difference a ride could make. During her own treatment, her daughters were able to take time off work to help her get to appointments. She knew how fortunate she was to have that support.
“Cancer treatment is more than chemo or radiation,” Sara says.
There are blood tests, scans and doctor’s visits, often over many months. When someone has just heard the word cancer, figuring out how to get to every appointment is another worry they don’t need.
Sara signed up to help ease that worry for others. What she discovered was how much the people she drives would give back to her.
Some rides are quiet. On others, conversation flows the whole way. One woman talked with Sara throughout their drive, then stayed in the car for another hour after they reached her home. She wanted to share stories about her family, and Sara was happy to listen. Sara remembers, too, a husband who accompanied his wife to treatment several times. He would bow, offer Sara a blessing and wish her a long life.
Those moments have stayed with her. Sara is continually moved by the strength and outlook of the patients and families she meets. Everyone’s experience is different, and she lets each person decide whether they’d like to talk. When it feels welcome, she shares a little about her own experience with cancer. Sometimes, simply meeting someone who has been through treatment opens a conversation.
The drives have changed Sara’s days as well. She describes herself as someone who isn’t especially outgoing, yet she loves the connections she’s made. Meeting patients and hearing their stories keeps her positive, humble and thankful. Their appreciation reminds her that a few hours of her time can matter deeply to someone else.
“I really like helping the patients and driving,” she says. “I’m so happy to give my time here.”
Sara hopes others who are thinking about volunteering will give it a try. Drivers can choose the days and times that work for them. A ride doesn’t have to take up a whole day, but it can take a real weight off someone’s shoulders.
Sara started with a snowy drive and the thought, I can do this. Nearly four years later, she keeps coming back for the people she meets and the chance to be there when a ride is needed. Thank you, Sara, for sharing your time, your kindness and, when it helps, a little of your own story.