The ringing of a bell to mark the end of cancer treatment is a symbolic moment of hope for many families. The viral video of comedian Rhod Gilbert ringing the bell for his own treatment prompted many to relive their own experiences. For Richard, whose five-year-old son Cian rang the bell in 2016, it is a treasured memory. However, Cian’s cancer returned and he died aged six in 2018.
Once the bell is rung, it isn’t always the end of a cancer journey. Richard said, “We were able to enjoy the time that we had with him… but the prognosis of the particular cancer that he had was very poor.” Regardless, the bell remains a source of inspiration for him. Richard sees it as a “something lovely” and cherishes the memories of the hope it gave his family.
Tracey Payton founded The End of Treatment Bells charity, which has placed over 350 bells around the UK and abroad. Children with Cancer UK reports that the first bell was used in the UK after an eight-year-old called Emma went to the USA for Proton Beam Therapy and enjoyed ringing the bell at the end of her treatment. Emma’s experience inspired her mum to make a bell in time for her last chemo session at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
For Julia Minney’s ten-year-old daughter, Isabella, who was diagnosed with leukaemia at seven, ringing the bell was a significant moment. “We were all crying and she was really emotional – there’s a little poem they read out and it’s just really emotional… it’s something you didn’t know if you were going to get to,” said Julia. However, two weeks before Isabella rang the bell, Julia herself was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite this, Julia’s cancer treatment is going well and she hopes to ring the bell herself soon, “It’s weird because I don’t want to take it away from Isabella really… but I think she’s excited about the fact that both of us will have had that experience together.
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