When Frequent Medical Appointments Become an Impossible Journey
Daily medical appointments and a 2.5-hour bus ride one way when you are very ill just does not work.
When Dean from St. Clair County needed lifesaving medical care every weekday for close to two months, transportation quickly became one of the biggest barriers to his treatment. Not because care did not exist, but because getting there safely and reasonably felt impossible.
Dean's Story
Dean required lifesaving treatment five days a week, with additional appointments layered in regularly. Like many rural residents, he faced long distances between home and care. While this specialized treatment had recently become available closer to home at a rural hospital campus 26 miles away instead of 90 miles away in a neighboring metro area, transportation remained a serious challenge.
Dean was not able to drive himself. Health challenges and mobility limitations made driving nearly impossible, much less safely navigating the highway to reach treatment. Coordinating a complex schedule of daily rides over several weeks was simply not realistic for his small circle of family and friends who have jobs, commitments, or their own transportation limitations.
For a period of time, the only public transportation option available meant spending hours on a shared van, two and a half hours one way, after treatment.
“That was about all I could handle,” Dean shared. “By the time I got home, I was completely drained.”
These long rides included multiple stops across several towns, stretching what should have been a 30-minute drive into hours. For someone receiving frequent medical care, that extra time on the road took a serious toll.
Then Dean found New Growth Transit.
A Different Experience
Instead of spending most of the day traveling, Dean’s experience changed completely. A volunteer driver picked him up, took him directly to his appointment, waited, and brought him home. Most days, he was only gone an hour or two.
“That made all the difference,” Dean said. “They take me to my appointment, wait for me, and bring me home. I do not know what I would do without them.”
The difference was not just convenience. It was dignity, comfort, and the ability to focus on getting through treatment and recovery. Friendly drivers and simple, direct trips eased the burden of already overwhelming days. Even conversation during the ride helped lift his spirits.
“They really were an answer to prayers,” he shared.
The Rural Reality of Frequent Medical Appointments
Dean’s story reflects a reality many rural residents face. Frequent medical appointments for cancer treatment, dialysis, and other chronic conditions do not work when transportation requires hours on the road. When someone is sick or recovering, long rides and complicated routes are not just inconvenient. They can be unbearable.
New Growth Transit exists to meet that need. By providing direct, volunteer driven rides, the program helps ensure that rural residents can access treatment and essentials without sacrificing their health, dignity, or independence.
For Dean, it meant the ability to keep going, one appointment at a time.
How You Can Help
Every ride a volunteer gives is more than just transportation. It’s peace of mind, a helping hand, and often, a source of hope during a difficult time.
As a volunteer driver, you choose your own schedule and receive mileage reimbursement. For riders like Dean, you may find that giving your time is truly changing someone’s life.
🚗 Become a volunteer driver: Call 417-283-7991 or visit newgrowthtransit.org
💵Can’t drive but still want to help? You can still fuel the journey.
Your donation helps reimburse the miles our volunteers give with their time and hearts.
Or mail donations to:
New Growth Transit
c/o West Central MO Community Action Agency
112 W 4th St, Appleton City, MO 64724
Together, we’re giving rural neighbors a lift—one mile, one story, one life at a time.