Betty Riel Foundation expands its outreach

Emily Southwood - The Betty Riel Foundation has just announced that it will be raising the number of free trips per calendar year for cancer patients attending appointments from 11 to 13. Thirteen years ago, The Betty Riel Foundation was created when Betty and her husband Gilles shaved their heads to stand up to cancer. They set their sights on a mission to provide free transport for cancer patients travelling to Montreal from the Haut Saint Laurent. In the first year, they picked up 2,500 people. “We were so happy and thought what we had accomplished was incredible!” says Betty. Last year the foundation paid for 600 trips at the cost of $43,000. Last year they were able to cover 11 free trips per calendar year to cancer patients in need of transport to their appointments. Since their phenomenally successful auction last December that raised $16,000 (which will now be an annual event) along with their two other major yearly fundraising events: the walk and triathlon, it will now be able to provide 13 rides. Why 13? The Betty Riel Foundation is also celebrating 13 years of servicing 13 municipalities. “We have such an incredibly generous community,” Betty says. “I have had people who used the service but then decided they could have afforded it, come to me and donate the money they would have spent. That says a lot about a sense of community.” For those not familiar with how the system works, patients call SABEC and tell them that they need transport for a cancer related appointment. The information is confidential and necessary for rides to be covered. “Paying $60 each visit is a lot for someone in this situation,” Betty explains, “The more rides we can cover, the more people we can help. It’s important that even those in remission always get to their check ups and continue to stay in good health.” What does the organization need going forward? “What we are in need of most,” Betty says, “is volunteer drivers, especially in the Ormstown area. Even just volunteering one day a month is huge for us.” The foundation has been run by a committee of seven for the last three years, and Betty wants the foundation to continue long past her own efforts. “This isn’t because of me,” says Betty, who last year received the Hommage Bénévolat-Québec Award. “It’s because of every donor and our incredibly generous community. My dream is still that we could pay for every single trip.” This year the Betty Riel Walk will take place on June 2nd and the Triathlon on August 25th. Search @BettyRielFoundation on Facebook for details.