Helping cancer patients is as easy as dropping money into a piggy bank.
The Canadian Cancer Society Chatham-Kent is holding its Pigs of Hope campaign again this year.
Senior Manager of Community Offices Cindy Vinall says the campaign puts money towards the Wheels of Hope Transportation Service, which takes cancer patients to and from appointments.
"It allows clients to focus on getting well and not having to worry about how they get to treatment," she says.
Although the Pigs of Hope campaign has been running in other communities for a few years, Vinall says it's still fairly new to Chatham-Kent, with this being the second annual fundraiser.
"Last year we provided rides to 219 people -- adults and children in Chatham-Kent. We traveled just shy of 3,600 trips," she says. "The requests are increasing so we're continuing today to have neighbours help neighbours."
The average price for a ride is about $50 so the Cancer Society is asking people to pledge the amount of one or more rides, along with the spare change raised in the piggy bank.
Vinall says they're hoping to raise about $10,000 -- $12,000, which is similar to what the campaign reached last year.
"By the year 2030, the cancer incidents is going to be up by about 40% [in Ontario] so the fundraising that we do today will create a solid foundation moving forwards," she says.
The Pigs of Hope campaign will run until January 2, 2018. To adopt a pink or blue Pig of Hope contact the Chatham office at 519-352-3960 or visit their location on Richmond St.