The South East Radiotherapy Trust (SERT) was established in 2005 to provide essential transport to cancer patients requiring radiotherapy attending the UPMC Whitfield Cancer Centre in Waterford and Cork University Hospital. SERT is a registered charity (CHY 16852) and relies entirely on volunteers, fundraising and donations. The Trust consists of seven trustees; the chairperson is Gordon Watson, a retired consultant surgeon. The trustees are also volunteers and give their time without charge.
Run entirely on the hard work of its volunteers and fundraisers, SERT currently has over 150 volunteer drivers and six vehicles in its fleet. Catering for the South East of Ireland, it operates a pick up service. Users can be collected at a specific pick-up point, delivered safely and comfortably to the hospital and returned to the pick up point. SERT volunteers and vehicles are discreet and respectful to all and there is an ethic of confidentiality.
For many cancer patients, difficulty accessing transportation can be a huge strain and influence over their treatment and hospital choices. Those who receive radiotherapy may not feel able to drive during treatment and many patients cannot, or do not want to, ask friends and family to drive them. SERT's volunteer driver service provides the solution.
SERT is extremely grateful to its numerous benefactors, including private individuals, fundraising volunteer groups, industry and trade unions. Working within our communities we can, by providing this transport, make a significant impact towards helping cancer patients receive state of the art radiotherapy and improve their outcome.