Reston Cancer Survivor Finds Purpose Driving Others to Lifesaving Care

by Ellyn Wexler

Darlene Parker drives Michael Coleman to his cancer-related appointments through Road to Recovery program. Photo contributed by Parker.

Several times a month, Darlene Parker drives Michael Coleman, a 75-year-old Herndon resident and retired Army officer, to his cancer-related medical appointments. Coleman, who lives at Brightview Assisted Living, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in December. He is among the cancer patients Parker and other drivers help through the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program.

Coleman says Parker’s support has been indispensable during treatment. “Darlene is a godsend,” he said. “She makes me really happy about humanity. She’s become a good friend, and she makes me more comfortable about the journey I’m on.” Parker has taken him to most of his appointments, and along the way, the two talk about football, her travels to New Zealand, and even “The Lord of the Rings.” “Those conversations help take my mind off cancer,” Coleman added.

Parker, 71, a Reston resident for 22 years, has been a volunteer driver for the program since March 2024, shortly after retiring from a nearly four-decade career at the National Captioning Institute, where she served as director in her later years. Road to Recovery offers free, door-to-door transportation to cancer-related medical appointments—an essential service, given that the number one reason patients miss treatments is lack of transportation.

For Parker, the mission is personal. At 23, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a modified radical mastectomy. Support from the ACS Reach to Recovery program—pairing newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with trained survivors—made a lasting impression. In 2003, a melanoma diagnosis, spotted by her then 4-year-old son as a tiny black dot on her upper arm, reinforced her gratitude for early detection and good medical care.

“Knowing I can make someone’s life a little easier means everything to me,” Parker said. “Sometimes the drive is just as important as the appointment—it’s a chance to take their mind off cancer, even for a little while.”

Volunteer drivers are asked to commit to at least two rides a month; Parker averages four or five, many with Coleman. In Fairfax County, demand for rides far outpaces supply. Since Jan. 1, 540 ride requests have been made in Fairfax County, according to Emmanuel Zambrano, Associate Director of Access to Care Solutions Delivery at ACS. Volunteers provided 284 of those rides—a fulfillment rate of just over 53%—serving 32 patients. While that number has improved from last year, many patients are still left without a ride. Zambrano says the program’s goal is to reach a 70% fulfillment rate, but more volunteers are needed to get there.

Road to Recovery volunteers must have a valid driver’s license, a reliable vehicle, pass a background check, and complete about an hour of online training. Drivers range in age from 18 to 84. The scheduling is flexible, and the rewards are immeasurable. “It’s not hard to do,” Parker said. “You really do get back more than you give.”

Parker hopes more Reston-area residents, especially able-bodied retirees, will step up. She’s planning to speak at 55-plus communities, churches, and civic organizations to spread the word. National recruitment efforts, including a partnership with Sinclair Cares, have brought in about 660 new volunteers nationwide this year. The campaign, launched in July, spotlights the Road to Recovery program while raising awareness of transportation barriers cancer patients face and encouraging both volunteerism and financial support.

Parker’s advocacy doesn’t stop there. She also volunteers with ACS’ Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). Earlier this year, she lobbied successfully in Richmond and Annapolis for bills that provide financial relief to cancer patients.

Patients who need a ride to treatment, as well as those interested in volunteering, can learn more by visiting cancer.org/drive/ or calling 800-227-2345.