For the person with cancer and their carer, accessing treatment can offer many challenges.

Transport and accommodation can pose particular stress, particularly in regional and rural areas. If you need to travel long distances you may be eligible for financial assistance for travel. You may also be eligible for assistance towards the cost of accommodation. Such schemes have different names and eligibility criteria in different States. The Victorian scheme is known as VPTAS and the NSW scheme as IPTAAS.

In this section you will also find regional services that provide community transport or temporary accommodation. You will also find holiday accommodation that is suitable for people on their cancer journey.

You will find information about possible funding assistance in the Financial subcategory.

Transport and Accommodation is grouped into the following sub-categories:

• Holiday accommodation
• Temporary accommodation
• Transport
  
  

Holiday accommodation

During treatment and in the recovery period, a holiday may be the ideal treatment for the person with cancer, their carer and/or their family.

It is sometimes possible to access financially assisted holidays. Cancer Council Victoria have a Holiday Break Program providing access to holiday homes - often private whose use has been donated by generous Victorians.

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Temporary accommodation

You may need to have your treatment away from where you live and require accommodation for yourself and your family.

Once you know where you are going for treatment, ask your Specialist Cancer Nurse or Social Worker whether the treatment centre can provide suitable accommodation or maybe assist you in finding it.

Alternatively, speak to the treating hospital about its accommodation and/or ask them for a list of nearby accommodation (such as motels and hotels) which provide cheaper rates for people receiving treatment.

You can also ring the Cancer HelpLine on 13 11 20 for more information (the same number operates for both the Victorian and SA orgnisations). They each maintain a current listing of temporary accommodation options in Melbourne and Adelaide respectively.

There may also be state government financial support available. Such schemes have different names and eligibility criteria in different States. The Victorian scheme is known as VPTAS.

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Transport

If you do not have access to your own transport you may need to access volunteer or community based transport. To qualify for this service you may need to meet certain criteria and sometimes to contribute financially.

The VPTAS and IPTAAS schemes may also offer support.

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