Lon Kruger, left, a former UNLV basketball coach, watches as his traveler, Jose A. Lee, a cancer client, speaks with the Review-Journal, on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, in Las Vegas. Lon Kruger, left, a former UNLV basketball coach, drops off Jose A. Lee, a cancer client, at a health care center, on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, in Las Vegas.
In a departure from his normal March Madness drill, legendary basketball coach Lon Kruger invested early Wednesday early morning driving a cancer patient to and from a consultation for radiation treatment.

For 45 years, this was the time of year when Kruger, the first coach to lead 5 programs to the NCAA Tournament, would have been preparing for a video game.

" Move on to different things," stated Kruger, who retired in 2021 as the coach at the University of Oklahoma, as he dropped off the client at a medical complex in the northwest Las Vegas Valley.

The former UNLV coach is a brand-new volunteer motorist for the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery program, which connects motorists with clients who require transport to their appointments for treatment.

" They are angels sent out from God," patient Jose A. Lee stated about the motorists, after stepping out of Kruger's red Cadillac Escalade.

" Without them, I believe I 'd be lost," said the 77-year-old Army veteran and previous New York police officer, who is getting treatment for prostate cancer.

‘‘ Part of curing cancer that day'

Absence of transportation is the No. 1 reason that cancer patients miss treatment appointments, according to the American Cancer Society. Kruger has spurred an effort to increase the network of volunteer motorists in Southern Nevada that had dwindled to a handful due to the pandemic, said Deidra Hamilton, co-chair of the cancer society's leadership board in Nevada.

Last year, simply 28 percent of requests could be satisfied. That percentage will improve as more motorists are contributed to the roster. There are now 21 motorists, and 5 more in training, according to Hamilton.

Hamilton, an oncology nurse and a volunteer chauffeur herself, described driving clients as one of her preferred things to do.

" You are beating cancer. I just sit in my car," she stated with a laugh.

Volunteers are offering more than a flight to cancer patients by becoming a relied on ally, a connection that is gratifying, she said.

‘‘ We've all been touched by cancer'

Some patients request a ride when they do not feel well sufficient to drive themselves. Other patients can't take the bus due to the fact that their immune system has been compromised by treatment.

Kruger's objective is to have 65 chauffeurs, which would imply that all demands could be satisfied if each chauffeur offered for one round-trip trip per month, he said.

Kruger became associated with cancer philanthropy through Coaches vs. Cancer, a program begun by Norm Stewart, former head coach of the University of Missouri's men's basketball program and a cancer survivor.

" We've all been touched by cancer," said Kruger, whose dad passed away of cancer and whose wife is a cancer survivor. "It's an awful disease, and we're making great progress. Individuals are living longer."

Hamilton stated Kruger is connecting to his network for help in recruiting chauffeurs. "He repairs things. He's a doer," she said.

Southern Glazer's Wine && Spirits has dedicated to providing 45 volunteers who will take at least one round-trip drive over the period of a year, said Gena Fogarty, office supervisor and volunteer coordinator.

" Cancer is something that impacts numerous people," Fogarty said. "I believe we can make a distinction."

Volunteers, who must be in between the ages of 18 and 84, are needed to have their own vehicle and car insurance. They can offer as much as they desire or as little as their schedule enables.

To get more information about the program, go to www.cancer.org/drive or call 800-227-2345.

Contact Mary Hynes at mhynes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0336. Follow @MaryHynes1 on Twitter.