Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust - supporting cancer patients in rural communities
The Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust (LCCT) is a charity that has been helping cancer patients since 1998.
About the organisation
The Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust (LCCT) is a charity that has been helping cancer patients since 1998. Based in Wishaw, the charity provides free transport for cancer patients and their carers to get to hospital appointments and treatment centres across North and South Lanarkshire.
The charity has over 100 volunteer drivers and employs five staff members - two full-time and three part-time. It's run by six local committee members and supported by around 120 volunteers. Last year, LCCT helped people get to more than 14,000 appointments, with volunteers driving 490,000 miles to support patients across the area.
The need for the project
Getting to cancer treatment is particularly difficult for people living in rural areas. Many patients need to travel long distances - sometimes up to 100 miles - to reach specialist treatment centres like the Glasgow Beatson Hospital. A typical journey can involve a 110-mile round trip.
When the project started, LCCT was supporting 70 cancer patients from rural areas. Public transport is often unreliable or simply not available, and the side effects of cancer treatment can make it very difficult for patients to use buses or trains. For many people, particularly those going through intensive treatment that might involve up to 30 sessions, getting to appointments becomes a real worry.
Why the project matters
This project helps fill a major gap in support for rural communities. Cancer patients typically needed to make around 15 journeys during their treatment, and without help, the cost and stress of arranging transport can be overwhelming during an already difficult time.
The service offers more than just a lift to hospital. Many patients build close relationships with their volunteer drivers, who often become trusted friends that patients can talk to about their illness. Patients often say that it feels comfortable sharing concerns with their drivers that are hard to discuss with family members.
The planning
LCCT works closely with local health services to ensure patients know about the service. Macmillan Cancer Support includes information about LCCT in the packs given to every new cancer patient in Lanarkshire, and hospital staff are aware of the service and can refer patients.
In 2023, the charity invested £50,000 in a new computer system to better track and support its 5,500 patients. This has helped LCCT match patients with local volunteers and identify where funding is most needed across different areas to allocate sufficient resources.
Funding
Over the last two years, LCCT has received support from several wind farm funds in the region. This approach recognises that many challenges extend beyond individual community boundaries, and that collaborative working across a region can deliver enhanced outcomes for projects while maintaining a local focus and genuine community engagement. Awards have included:
- £10,000 from the Nadara Glenkerie Wind Farm Community Fund in April 2024
- £15,000 from Coalburn, Douglas and Glespin Wind Farm Community Fund in May 2025
- £10,000 from the Harthill, Eastfield and Greenrigg (HEG) Community Fund in March 2025
- £1,000 from the Plains Community Fund in March 2025
- £10,000 from the Nadara Auchrobert Wind Farm Community Fund in April 2024
- £10,000 from the Orit Cumberhead Community Fund in Feb 2024
The impact and outcomes from the project
The total cost to deliver the full project was over £150,000. The grants from the Glenkerie and Coalburn, Douglas & Glespin Community Funds helped LCCT continue to support the costs for volunteer drivers associated with transporting patients in rural areas to cover their petrol and car costs. This means volunteers can give their time freely without being out of pocket, while keeping the service completely free for patients.
A practical example demonstrates the service's importance: one gentleman required 21 radiotherapy treatments at Edinburgh Western General Hospital. Each journey involved a 76-mile round trip with treatment sessions lasting nearly two hours. Public transport was not an option due to his health condition. LCCT were able to support with transportation, significantly reducing stress and worry associated with multiple and intense appointments.
Lasting thought
The fund area represents some of LCCT's longest journey requirements, making this support crucial for these isolated communities. This project has ensured that rural residents can access essential cancer treatment without facing transportation barriers.
Read more about the Nadara Glenkerie Wind Farm Community Fund here.
Read more about the Coalburn, Douglas & Glespin (CDG) Community Fund here.