Last chemo session today! I got to ring the bell

You might hear cheering and a bell ringing if you spend enough time near a cancer centre. When the bell rings, cancer patients who have finished their treatment at that clinic can celebrate. It means that the patient is going to start a new part of their life. The people who are suffering and their families feel better when they hear this bell. It gives people with cancer motivation and hope that one day they will also be able to ring the bell.

How the ceremony of ringing the bell came to be

Where did the habit of ringing bells start? Even though almost every building in the United States has some kind of bell, MD Anderson was the first to ring in 1996. On the other hand, the Navy is where you can find the real story behind the bell-ringing tradition.

Use of the Bell by the Navy

Ringing bells has a long history and is used by groups all over the world. Before cell phones or loudspeakers were made, bells were a simple way to talk to people. Because different groups made bell codes that were unique to their unit or the Navy, not everyone knew what each bell meant. This made it possible for the Navy to send important messages without enemies or ordinary people finding out. Most of the time, the bells were used for the following:

The first way to tell time at sea was to watch tiny sand grains move through a half-hour glass. When it was empty, a ship’s boy would have to turn it around so the count could go on. After he finished the job, he would ring the bell to let others know he was done.

Victory Bell by Irve Le Moyne

In the 1990s, Irve Le Moyne, who was a rear admiral in the US Navy, went to MD Anderson for treatment. He had cancer in his head and neck and was getting radiation treatment for it. Irve was determined to beat his cancer, and he told his doctor that when he did, he would follow a Navy tradition and ring a bell to let everyone know. This is what they did when he beat his cancer before.

Traditions with a Point

An important and emotional part of a patient’s recovery is when they ring the bell at their last appointment. It’s a happy event and an important turning point in their fight against cancer. During the ceremony, many patients are not alone. They are often accompanied by nurses, doctors, friends, and family. People often cry, laugh, and hug each other at this event.

Even though their time at that cancer hospital is over, they may not be done with their cancer treatment. Patients with cancer can be treated with radiation and surgery, but they may still need to go to another hospital for more care. Some people may have a relapse and need more cancer treatments.

No matter what, ringing the bell brings hope and joy to the patient. The bell makes them feel proud and like they’ve made it through their ordeal. No patient will ever forget that day, and the bell helps keep a lovely memory of an important event alive so that it can be treated with the respect it deserves.