ERNEST?SIMPSON is the driver with the Barbados Cancer Society and while his job is not physically challenging, it can be emotionally taxing for the man who has worked with the society for almost 20 years.
Simpson transports cancer patients to and from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for their treatment. Over the years he has made many friends and he has lost just as many, who succumbed to their illness.
Simpson reluctantly spoke with the DAILY NATION about the attachments he had built with some children, some elderly people and the young.
He said that initially the job was challenging, but turned out to be life-changing, giving him a better appreciation for life, for every individual and for what people have to go through.
“Dealing with persons who are ill and not just sick but coming to grips with cancer, it was new to me because I was now seeing it from a different perspective,” he said.
“Before it was every day you go to work and come home but you do not see that side of life of persons who are going though that challenge of facing death. I had heard about it but coming face to face with it became very challenging for me.”
He said that through the job he gets to meet a lot of people and in many ways they develop connections. For him the important thing is to provide a personalized service to everyone.
He said that he always tried to be punctual, to approach everyone with a smile and to be a friend with a listening ear.
Simpson said that he was glad for the service because some people were at a stage where they were very sick and could not use public transportation.
For someone who lives in St Lucy, spending $120 on a taxi several times a week would be challenging. Even collecting medication or getting to the supermarket is a problem for some, so he helps them out sometimes.
Additionally, the vehicle is not labelled so people who are sick and want to keep their business confidential do not have to worry about the neighbours knowing their condition.
Simpson said the job has also increased his sensibility and his ability to identify the needs of the person at that particular time. He said that sometimes he had to adjust his schedule to the conditions of some of his clients who might be sick on the morning and not be ready for their pick up or they might just want to give up.
“There are times when a client would just not feel like it; they are just fed up and frustrated. They may feel the medication is not working or they are not getting better. So it is that time when I need to be there to sit with them and encourage them,” he remarked.
“That is the part I do not like to talk about. Some persons just do not have that family support, so although I am the driver I now have to become that person of support to them.
“Faced with that, they become like a sister, a brother, friend and I knew I could not leave them there alone so I become like a nurse to make that person feel they can do it, that we will take this journey, we will go to the doctor together,” Simpson said.
He said that at times some people were angry about their health condition, wondering ‘Why did this have to happen to me’?
At such times, he tries to appreciate what that person is going through and still to smile.
He says what also keeps him on the job is the strength he gains from his belief in God.
He said there was a lot to learn from some cancer patients.
“They do not sit back and let it define who they are, but they reach out to others. They believe that there will one day be a cure for cancer,” he said.
He admitted that there were times when losing a patient overwhelmed him.
“It can take everything out of you,” he admitted.
For Simpson a positive outlook, faith in God and a day at the beach all help him to cope.
