Firefly Cancer Awareness & Support receives £10,000 grant to continue vital patient transport service

The VINCI UK Foundation has awarded Doncaster-based Firefly Cancer Awareness & Support £10,000 from its 2020 fund to purchase a replacement for one of its eight patient transport vehicles. The charity’s volunteer drivers offer a lifeline to cancer patients and their families in the borough of Doncaster by providing free transport to regional treatment hospitals. The replacement vehicle will enable them to maintain the availability of transport and continue this vital service for local people at the same level.

Founded in 2006 by Denise Dunn to help other local patients through a difficult time after her personal experience with cancer, Firefly Cancer Awareness & Support also raises awareness, particularly among young people, to spot the signs of cancer before it advances.

Denise’s fiancé Ian Bacchus, who now runs the project in her memory, said: “The ability for local cancer patients to get from Doncaster to treatment centres in Sheffield in a stress-free environment and free of charge is so important. We can’t thank the VINCI UK Foundation enough for their kind generosity.”

In addition to the grant, Alan Ellams, QESH (Quality, Environment, Safety and Health) advisor at Omexom Power Solutions, part of the VINCI Group, will provide practical support as sponsor.

“Receiving treatment for cancer is a very stressful time in patients’ lives and getting to treatment centres on public transport would be an arduous journey with a number of changes involved – even more so after treatment. Due to COVID-19, Firefly’s fleet of eight minibuses are running flat out since the number of patients they can transport at a time is reduced. The money donated by the VINCI UK Foundation has been used to assist in the purchase of a replacement for a minibus which had in excess of 200,000 miles on it. Firefly is a great charity that alleviates stress and brings comfort to people through their cancer journey,” he said.

The VINCI UK Foundation was founded in 2016 to promote social integration and cohesion among communities surrounding VINCI businesses. Since then, the foundation has donated almost £1 million to 130 local charities across the UK and Republic of Ireland, while VINCI employees, as sponsors, have offered their professional skills to make a difference in whatever small way they can.