Ring the Bell
When a patient finishes a round of radiation treatment,
there is a tradition that is carried out.
The patient is allowed to ring a large brass bell hanging on the wall in
the waiting room. They have passed by
that bell many times on their way to the treatment room. It gives them
something to look forward to. It symbolizes the end of a journey. I recently was privileged last week to watch
my friend ring that glorious shiny bell, and it wasn’t her first rodeo. The sound was deep and resounding. It was sweet, yet bittersweet. The fact that someone has to have radiation
at all is not joyful, yet the end of the treatment itself is a joyous
time. With no certainty that the patient
won’t have to return again for the same treatment in the future, it still is a mark
of accomplishment. It signifies another
hurdle has been cleared in the race against the dreadful cancer cells. My brother-in-law will also be ringing a
similar bell in his place of treatment on Monday as he completes a series of 24
proton radiation treatments.
Everyday many people are
ringing a victory bell. It is a victory,
however, just to survive a stage 4 diagnosis with determination to endure the ever-present
disease. A disease that evades the researchers
for cures and mutates into other monstrosities to avoid the current treatments. The number of lives affected by cancer,
whether patients, caregivers, friends and family members or children, is
astounding. I am constantly in awe of
the warriors, alive and deceased, who never give/gave up. They tolerate the side
effects of toxic drugs, surgeries and procedures, constant pain, radiation, chemotherapy,
physical therapy, never-ending doctor appointments, a port, blood draws, numerous
scans, and setbacks. They deserve to
ring a brass bell and a whole lot more!
Tammy Harvey
7/10/2026
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